Overcoming Adversity

Last night, our family had the great honor of introducing Chris Norton to speak at the Chris Norton Foundation Overcoming Adversity annual dinner.

Ryker's working on developing a better stage presence!

2019 Overcoming Adversity Dinner

Chris Norton, a native of Bondurant, Iowa (just about 10 minutes from our home base in Pleasant Hill, Iowa), was a freshman football player at Luther College whose life changed in an instant when he mistimed a tackle, collided with the ball carrier's legs, and lost all feeling from the neck down.  Chris was told he had a 3% chance of ever regaining movement from the neck down.  Yet despite that fact, Chris persevered.

On an excerpt from his Foundation website, Chris states: "I could have let it define me.  But our lives aren't shaped by circumstances.  They're shaped by us.  Perseverance isn't about the physical act of standing: it's about attitude, and the ability to shape yourself in the face of adversity."

Chris and his family, through the Chris Norton Foundation, have dedicated themselves to "helping people with spinal cord and neuromuscular disabilities live their best lives."

Enter: Ryker.

If you've been following this blog, you know that when Ryker was diagnosed with Joubert Syndrome as an infant, the doctors told us not to expect him to ever crawl, walk, or talk.  But Ryker, like Chris, has persevered,

Through hard work, determination, hours of therapy, a handful of tears, and LOTS of laughter, Ryker is walking -- nearly running! -- everywhere he goes.

Our road to walking has been a tough one, and it's ongoing, but Ryker DOES NOT GIVE UP.  Amongst the multiple therapies we have encountered, one of the most beneficial to Ryker is working out in the Universal Exercise Unit at ChildServe in Johnston, Iowa.

The Universal Exercise Unit, or the "cage" as we call it, allows patients to experience standing while allowing freedom of movement and facilitating balance.  For Ryker, when he exercised in the cage he had a new sense of independence and, as a result, he was able to gain confidence with his standing which contributed greatly to his ultimate ability to walk.

How does this relate to Chris Norton?

I'm glad you asked.

In his own therapy sessions, Chris Norton utilized the UEU, and because it made such an impact on Chris' progress, the Chris Norton Foundation donated the funds to ChildServe to purchase a UEU for their facility, and our family will forever be grateful for that incredible gift.

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Ryker in the UEU.

Chris in the UEU.

In the book Man's Search for Meaning, Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl states, "When we are no longer able to change a situation...we are challenged to change ourselves."  Chris Norton has taken one of the most difficult situations a person could be faced with -- paralysis -- and turned it into an opportunity to truly make our world a better place.  Lives are being changed because of the efforts of Chris Norton and his family, and OUR lives are evidence of that.

So Chris, Terry, Deb -- THANK YOU.  Our hearts are filled with gratitude because of your work, and in case you wondered if you are accomplishing your mission, I can assure you:  Ryker is living his best life.

Our first time meeting Chris in October 2018!

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"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time
​we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  
Galatians 6:9