Tuesday June 02, 2009

Big Announcement

Big Announcement
I am still on cloud nine after the incredible win last night and will write a couple of baseball blogs later this week. But today we are celebrating for a different reason.

One year ago today, I received the news that changed my life and so many of my family and friends’ lives.

Around 9:30 AM on June 2, 2008 my son Ryan was a passenger in a one car accident. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and major burns all over his body. This time last year it did not look good for Ryan. What a difference a year makes!

Today Ryan is thriving!

He is beating the odds every day and through hard work and prayers, Ryan is getting closer to a full recovery.

Today is a day of celebration for Ryan and our family. It is a day when we made a big announcement and it is also a day we want to give thanks.

I was talking to Ryan’s mother this morning and had no idea what her attitude was going to be today. I was extremely pleased to hear Kelly upbeat in her reflection. Her positive attitude really resonated through me this morning as well.

After my radio show this morning, I went by the crash site. I wanted to be there at 9:30, the same time of the accident one year earlier. It was quiet. There were still burned trees where the automobile caught fire. But there was also peace there. Kelly probably said it best when she rejoiced, “Thank God you are not there looking at a cross right now!”

We are so thankful that we have Ryan still with us. We are also very thankful that he is not only surviving, but he is thriving. His recovery has been nothing short of amazing. There is no doubt why we often refer to Ryan as “Miracle Man.”

I guess I was in denial last summer when Ryan was still “posturing” one month after the accident. Medical people tell me that that is the lowest form of brain activity and that action that late in the process usually means bad things.

Thank God that is not the case for Ryan. He still has some issues with his injury to the part of the brain called the cerebellum. This part of the brain controls balance, speech and fine motor skills. So Ryan is not walking perfect yet. He is not talking perfect yet and some of his motor skills are not perfect yet. They are just more perfect than they were yesterday and the day before and the day before.

Besides God’s grace, attitude has been a major force. I had Ryan on my radio show for an hour this morning and he said that he thinks his positive attitude has been a huge factor in his recovery. I have never seen someone handle adversity like he does. His positive nature is infectious. You just can’t help but to feel good about things when you watch Ryan persevere through adversity with a positive approach.

Ryan laughs throughout the day. He jokes around as much as anyone I know. He calls when A-Rod or Jeter gets a big hit. He is not a victim. He is a survivor.

Now he is an inspiration and that role will increase in the future. Today Ryan and announced the formation of our foundation. We wanted to make the announcement on the anniversary but we are in the developmental stages of the process and have not decided on a name yet. But we have decided on several aspects of our foundation. We do know:

*We will have a website that will feature three areas. First is the spiritual section where readers will be able to read or watch videos about how God let us witness this miracle. God touched our lives and changed us in so many ways. We want to inspire in this section.

The second section will focus on teenage driver awareness. Readers will be able to read and watch videos about facts on teen drivers and passengers. We want to inform in this section.

The third section of the website will focus on our motivational message to business or athletic teams. Readers will be able to read or watch videos of our message about persevering in the face of adversity. We want to motivate in this section.

*The main goal of the website is to allow us to get in touch with groups that would allow us to come for speaking engagements. We will have three different types of speaking engagements with three messages. Church groups, FCA groups or any spiritual group could have us in for our message on what God did for us. PTA groups, school assemblies or youth groups could have us in to speak about teen driver awareness. Businesses and athletic teams could have us in for our motivational message.

*We will have business join us as corporate partners that will help us offset the cost involved in travel and expenses in spreading our messages. We want to make these speaking engagements free for the consumers.

*We will also have logo merchandise on the site for sale in another attempt to offset our expenses.

*The website will feature blogs and videos with tales from our travels.

*We will chronicle Ryan’s progress with video updates.

*The site will have a section on brain injuries and helpful information if a loved one suffers a traumatic brain injury.

*We will also have message boards where people can share their stories of perseverance or chronicle their journeys.

We are extremely excited about this opportunity to share Ryan’s story. We think we have an obligation to serve and can do so with an extremely positive message. As we continue to develop the foundation, I will keep you updated.

Today is a great day. God has been so gracious to us and we celebrate today. Thank God 6/2/09 feels different than 6/2/08.

Also today we want to thank everyone who helped provide light for us in our darkest time. Your prayers have meant more to us than words can describe. Thanks to the countless people who have meant so much to us in the last year. Your kindness has us in debt and is something that we can only hope to repay one day. Thank you so much.

Note: Look for a couple of baseball blogs tomorrow and Thursday after that incredible regional.

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
*If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
*If you would like to add someone to the list please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list

Those who need our prayers include:
Finn Brookover, Mrs. Kathleen Bowers, Larry in Naples, FL, RTG-Pawsitive Tiger, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Sandy Wright, Jo Ann Bachman, Frank Taylor, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Christine Hepfer, Daniel Rosborough, Amy Murphey, Jack Huffman, Nancy Winkler, Dr. Nancy Strom Morgan, John Reeve, Eileen Woodrum, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Jean-Pierre Bailey, Kaitlyn L, William Perry, Delores Weaver.