Wythe Shriners help fulfill life for local disabled
It was my honor to once again be an invited guest of the local Kazim Shriners for their annual Drawdown fundraising event at the Wytheville Moose Lodge on Saturday, Oct. 3. This year was especially meaningful to me because I was invited to speak about my own 16-year journey with the local Shriners and the care I received at Shriners Children’s Hospital in Greenville, South Carolina, from the ages of 2 to 18. Being born with cerebral palsy 41 years ago meant that, if you survived at all, there was a very real possibility that you would also be diagnosed with an intellectual disability, blindness, deafness, or some combination of those conditions. Thankfully, none of those things happened to me. When I was 2 years old, I was referred to the Shriners by two local members of the organization who have since passed away, the late George Schreiber and the late Bob Dean. They connected me with the hospital in Greenville, where I was seen twice a year for 16 years. The Shriners oversaw everything from my leg braces and hand splints to walkers, wheelchairs and the countless other things I needed to live my life with cerebral palsy. And they provided all of that care at no cost to my family. Most importantly, I underwent hamstring-release surgery at the age of 8. I was cared for before, during and after the procedure by a diligent team of professionals at Shriners Children’s Hospital. Every Christmas I can remember being greeted by a local Shriner wearing a Santa suit, who would present me with a $50 Walmart gift card. As much joy as those gifts brought me, they might as well have been worth a million dollars. Recalling those memories with the Shriners also made me think about my father, who passed away a year ago this month. Every time I travel down Interstate 77, I think about the twice-a-year trips we made to and from Greenville for my checkups. Many of those trips were just my father and me on the road, and those long drives resulted in some of the greatest bonding experiences of our relationship. I miss him very much, and I am incredibly grateful for the constant fight that both of my parents put up to give me the best life possible. If anyone doesn’t believe that the care a child receives through the Shriners can affect that person’s adulthood, all they have to do is look at the example of my life. Not only do I have a career, but I have a beautiful wife and a wonderful, healthy child. I own my own home and live independently. I have been able to do these things because I had wonderful parents who fought for me to live as normally as possible, and because I have a wonderful wife who continues to ensure that quality of life through her love and caregiving. I realize, and I never take for granted, that much of this might not have been possible without the Shriners. I am incredibly grateful for everything they have done for me, and as long as I am around, I will always champion this wonderful cause. That is why I was particularly honored to be invited to speak on behalf of the organization by Mike Sarver and Del Crigger. They are both top-notch guys who are doing everything they can to ensure that local children in need receive the help they deserve. That was never more evident to me than in the story of 1-year-old Cordelia Johnson. The Max Meadows girl was initially treated in Roanoke for a rare condition called fibular hemimelia, in which a child is born without all or part of the fibula, one of the two main bones in the lower leg. After her family was ultimately turned away, they were referred to the Shriners. Cora has since received a foot amputation and continued care through Shriners Children’s Hospital, giving her access to specialists who understand her condition and can provide the treatment she needs to have the brightest future possible. After meeting Cora and her beautiful family—including her mother, Beth, her father, Tyler, and her six older siblings—it was clear to me that the Johnson family was put together and brought into our community by God to be blessed in ways we cannot even imagine. Little Cora is clearly adored by every one of her brothers and easily has the run of the show. As adorable as she is, it is equally clear that she has earned the title of queen of her world. I am looking forward to seeing the amazing things this beautiful little girl will accomplish throughout her life. The Moose Lodge always provides some of the best steaks in town, and even though the grill wasn’t working and we had to wait until almost 8 p.m. to be fed, it was well worth the wait. Everyone was even kind enough to let me take dinners home to my wife and daughter. I am also grateful to my friend Jeremy Miller for getting me to the event. I was particularly happy to spend some time with my longtime friend Tyler Hash at the event. Like me, Tyler recently lost his father, and his late grandfather Vance was also a former Shriner. His kindness and friendship are blessings I have treasured for a very long time. Tyler is every bit the loving and giving person his father and grandfather were, and I was thrilled that he and his precious grandmother, Peggy, were such a big part of the event that night. Supporting the Shriners is well worth our time, money and volunteer efforts. I hope my story can serve as a positive inspiration to anyone born with a disability that they can flourish just as any able-bodied person can, especially when they live in a community as loving and caring as Wytheville and have organizations like our local Shriners chapters standing behind them.