Thursday April 09, 2009
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Thursday April 09, 2009
My Hero Growing up, your heroes were always older than you but mine is 24 years younger. I always loved Ryan like fathers are supposed to love sons but he became my hero in the last year. Since Ryan’s automobile accident on June 2, 2008, God has continued to give us the miracle of life with Ryan. We are so fortunate to have him here after the horrific accident. I watched him go from a 14-day coma and a 76-day hospital stay to a strapping young man who works out every day in an attempt to get back to a normal life. I probably don’t give as many updates as I should because everywhere I go people ask how he is doing. Ryan has been in therapy and continues to rehab every day. He goes to the YMCA almost every day to work out. My days are brighter when he calls to tell how broke his squat record. The latest max is 320 pounds. Speaking of pounds, Ryan’s weight fell to 128 pounds while he was in the hospital but he is up to 165 this morning. He eats like a pig every day. Last night we sat out in the Cajun Café for the Clemson-South Carolina baseball game and Ryan was as impressive as the Tigers last night. Apparently he thought you could not start an inning without him having another bowl of jambalaya. The boy can eat! Last night, his friend Oliver Purnell came over for a five minute chat which really centered around Ryan’s future college choices. The friends shared their views on several schools and Purnell offered advice about places he has been. His speech is getting better every day. So is his walking. Really Ryan is improving in all aspects of his rehab. He is still limited in a few ways. Ryan’s injury was in his cerebellum which controls balance, speech and fine motor skills. Currently he can’t put in his contacts lens. He can’t tie his shoes yet and he has to drink using a straw. When he eats he can spear food with a fork but has a hard time when he has to scoop things like corn or rice. Ryan takes showers by himself. He puts on his own deodorant and then dresses himself. Afterwards he brushes his teeth. His walking is better but he needs someone to be there just in case he loses his balance. His mind is 100%. He can’t remember June, July, August and September of last year but that is his only memory issue. Ryan is doing well in the two classes he is taking. The English and psychology teachers come to his house a couple of times a week and last week he went to school for the first time. Ryan still enjoys life as much as any kid I have ever been around. He loves the Clemson Tigers, New York Yankees, Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Cavaliers. Sportscenter does not have a more loyal viewer. He loves girls too. A good day to Ryan is getting a pretty girl’s phone number. Speaking of girls, he sends text messages like a pro. He types better than he writes but texts better than I ever could. Ryan’s personality is the beautiful part. He is pleasant and engaging. In Clemson, Ryan usually gets a ton of people that recognize him and want to come over to see him. At baseball games, basketball games, football games or local restaurants he loves talking to people. Ryan loves people and is as social as any kid I have ever seen. I keep calling Ryan a kid but he is a six-foot four-inch kid. When you see us together he is the good looking one. I have only questioned things twice since his accident and both times I quickly got back to trusting God’s plan. Ryan has no regrets and feels lucky to be alive instead of bitter because this happened to him. He continues to inspire people. He did it recently when he and his mom went on a cruise and he lit up the entire boat. Last night a local softball coach told Ryan he has inspired their team and he talks to the players often about Ryan’s miracle. I have a theory that we always love this kind of story but especially today. With the economy still trying to get out of the funk and the national news telling us how bad things are, people are starving for these types of stories. People love being inspired and Ryan can certainly do that. Ryan is my hero and I am reminded of it every day but it hit me hard again the other day. I was on Ryan’s facebook page and saw his status where he asked God that day for patience. He asked for patience because the recovery can be difficult at times. I was so proud of him. He recognized where everything comes from when he asked God for this. He also recognized the need to ask for this. I was so proud of his wisdom in this request. I was perhaps proudest that he was facing adversity and he responded in a great way. I ask myself all of time about how I would have handled his situation at his age? I doubt I would have been this graceful. I don’t know if I would have been this determined or this strong. He is an amazing kid with the potential to touch so many. The best part is that Ryan wants to inspire. He realizes he has the potential to affect so many and wants to do his part. He realizes God has put him in a situation where he can make a difference. There are a bunch of amazing kids out there and heroes walk among us every day. I am just fortunate to have this amazing person here this weekend. I am blessed to have my hero right here. The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency
Prayer List Those who need our prayers include:
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