About Me

I was born in Germany in 1982 and it was a few months after that that my parents began to notice that I was "floppy". I was not doing things that I should have been doing at that age and they were concerned. At the age of nine months, their worst fears were confirmed. I was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a form of Muscular Dystrophy. The doctors told them I would not reach my first birthday! Well obviously the doctors forgot to tell ME that.

I spent a lot of time in the hospital as a child. Six weeks at a time sometimes. With luck, I was home on holidays. Even though I was often sick and could not do things that other children could do, I never let it get me down! When I was three I got my first electric wheelchair and that was the beginning of a whole new life for me. My parents realized that I was not the precious angel that they thought I was. I just was not able to get in trouble because I could not go anywhere on my own! So right after I got my chair my mother said I pulled out ALL the drawers in the kitchen and dumped them on the floor! I was a typical three year old!

Starting at a very young age I had to go in every year to every two years to get rods put in my back due to the scoliosis I got. I always did great in surgery and luckily bounced right back. But when I got my back fused in 1993, I had a lot of complications. I crashed on the operating table three times, but out of the grace of God, and my will to live, I fought through it... and after almost a month of re-cooperating I got to go home!

In 1992 my parents had to make a decision that would change the rest of our lives forever. Thankfully it was something that ended up changing it for the better. I was trached and I truly believe it is probably the only reason I am still here today. Since being trached, I have not been hospitalized at all except for that last surgery in 1993. The trach allows me to have direct access to my lungs and helps me to keep healthy at home instead of in the hospital. I cover my trach with a hairband and usually people just think it is a fashion statement and it goes unnoticed.

I was very involved in school and never let my disabilities stop me from doing things. In elementary school I was in the honor choir and in the sign choir (american sign language). I was on the pep squad in middle school and also joined the band in middle school. My first two years of high school I was also a part of the marching band. I was a percussionist! After that I got really involved in yearbook and newspaper. My senior year I was editor of both of them! I was also taking a few art classes as well. I was a National Honor Society member and also the treasurer for SIKED (an anti drug program at my school). Needless to say, I stayed busy! And to top it off, I graduated in the top 5% of my class in 2001.

In August of 2004 I was given another piece of freedom. Her name is Callie. Canine Assistants trains service dogs and places them in homes with people who have disabilities. After only a short year on the waiting list, they found me a sponsor! Milkbone and DeCa (Defense Commissary Agency) teamed up and were my official sponsors. Two months after my presentation with Milkbone, DeCa, and Canine Assistants, I got to go to Georgia and 'find' my new best friend. Callie won my heart the day that I met her! Since having her I have found a new sense of independence and a feeling of happiness. People don't look at my wheelchair anymore! They are too impressed with Callie! I am not afraid of being left at home by myself anymore because I know that if I dropped something or needed out of my house, Callie is there for me. She became my arms and my legs!

In December of 2007 I graduated from Tarleton State University with a double major in Business Management and Business Administration. I am now pursuing my Masters degree in Human Resource Management and am looking forward to being one step closer to a life of success that the doctors never thought I would see. I am also proud to say that in Nov 2006 I was inducted into Delta Mu Delta, the honor society for business studuents.

Someday in the near future I hope to be able to jump in the car with Callie and go to work and live a life like everyone else. I depend on people for so many things as it is, I just want to know that someday I will be able to go to the store, work, and church without relying on someone else to take me there!

Help ME gain that independence that everyone else takes forgranted!