Story of the Day
"He Taught
Us to Love"
Proudly
I watched Russ, with his characteristic boyish grin, leave his seat to speak to
a gathering of nearly two hundred people. A tear, bursting with joy and
triumph, trickled softly down my cheek.
Russ was a lovable
kid with a myriad of communication challenges — a speech impediment, dyslexia,
auditory and large motor problems, mixed dominance and two left feet to boot.
But today he is walking confidently, standing tall to make an acceptance speech
for having been chosen one of the "Outstanding Young Citizens" in
Ocean County, New Jersey, because of his phenomenal volunteer service in the
tightly knit town of Toms River.
As I listened, I
closed my eyes. A few seconds later, I could hear his voice as a youth
saying, "You know what I mean," when he couldn't pronounce a word.
He struggled valiantly to learn what those words meant. I closed my eyes
even tighter, remembering a cheerful fourth-grader telling me how he had to make
a speech about his science project and how the very thought of it made his heart
beat "really fast."
I found myself
recalling other memorable moments. Like the days when I used to help out
with Meals on Wheels. I'd run in and make the delivery while my volunteer
partner stayed with Russ in the car. Or the times I directed a children's
chorus and he'd be right there tugging on my leg. My mind was a blur of
warm images of Russ as a loving, caring youth, a gentle soul, accepting his
challenges. And now, as he stood at the lectern, I knew his heart must be
racing.
As Russ continued
his speech, I thought about the fateful day he was diagnosed with all those
impairments and how proud his tutors would be if they could see him today.
Here he was at twenty-nine, being honored for ten years of service as a
volunteer fireman. Russ was responsible for organizing clothing drives for
the homeless, teaching preschool children about fire safety, and for playing a
sensitive Santa Claus for terminally ill children by driving up in a fire truck.
At the end of his
speech, Russ thanked his parents for giving him a good life – for instilling
him with self-esteem and for teaching him about morals and integrity.
Then, pausing for a few seconds, he looked intently at his audience. He
took us by surprise by touching lovingly on the loss of his nephew, Austin Lee
Hanning. Austin was just three years old when he died from a rare and
incurable disease.
At that moment, I
had to close my eyes again before I unleashed a different set of tears. A
hush fell over the room as Russ dedicated his volunteer award to Austin's
memory. He concluded his speech by lifting the audience up with the
compassionate warmth of these words, "Austin taught me how to love."
I was in awe as I
saw this young man come full circle — from dreading the thought of learning
and speaking words, to holding an audience spellbound by his inspired speech.
What made the
occasion even more special was the fact that Russ, who never made it as the star
of the football team, and who had never been voted "most likely to
succeed," had risen to be a true "star" in his community.
Russ became a man
of strong character by his unselfish dedication and service to others.
Labeled perceptually impaired, Russ now sees and acts clearly with his heart.
His words and deeds inspire everyone who knows him. It is Russ, our son,
who "has taught us how to love."
This time, my heart
was beating "really fast."