1 in a Million

This is a story not so much about myself and my Good Deeds over the past month or so.  It's a story about my son, and his good deeds over this holiday season.  I wanted to write about my son because he is truly one of the most inspiring & selfless humans I have ever met. (I know I'm a bit bias, because I am his mom, but just wait till the end of my story to make your own judgment.)

1st I'll give you a small back story about my boy.  He is now 10 and was affected with a very rare (1 in a million) condition called Acute Flaccid Myelitis (A Polio-like virus) when he was 3 years old.  He had a really bad cough one day and the next his left leg just gave out and quit working.  It's been 6 years now almost to the day.  We moved into a physiotherapy hospital for 3mths on Dec 3rd 2014.  And just like that year he started this years holiday season with a giant smile and the biggest heart.  Now keep in mind this is the kind of kid who lost the use of his left leg and while in the hospital jumped up, hopped around dancing as best he could when he heard the song "Happy" by Pharrell. While in that hospital he had a leg brace made for him to help him to walk. It goes all the way up to the top of his thy on his left leg.  Over the past 6 years his leg has gotten stronger and now he only needs it for high activity things like long walks, sports or recess at school.  This year has been tough because due to a back log thanks to Covid19 he hasn't been able to get his new brace made and he has out grown his other one. Therefor he has had to go to school and use his wheelchair at recess.  He absolutely hates it!  He is a very active kid, he loves sports and he loves playing with his friends.  Now that you know his backstory, back to this holiday season.

We had been waiting to hear back from the lady who makes his brace, about when we would be able to go and pick it up. He was casted for it back in September but they were waiting on a part. I finally got the email one night at the end of November.  It wouldn't be ready until after Christmas!!! After his Birthday (New Years Eve), after school was supposed to be back in!!! January 7th. I was heart broken I knew how upset he would be about it so I decided to go out to the dollar store and pick up a bunch of plates and a few glasses, so that when I told him I could at least let him smash a few things to let out some anger. Funny thing is when I told him about his brace & that I had the plates to smash, he was so excited to smash the plates he could of cared less about his brace not being ready.

The next morning we got a bunch of snow and what does my little boy decide to do, he goes out and starts brushing my car off. I figured maybe by the next morning the whole not having his brace thing would of been getting him down, but nope. He was up and at it like any other day. Later when he came home from school I was again, expecting him to be upset about his brace not being ready for so long, but the 1st thing he said to me when he got in the car was.

"Hey Mom, you know Gavin?"

Gavin is a friend from school but this year he is doing online school instead, thanks again to Covid19

I answered "Yes what about him?"

"His Birthday is on the 17th of December, I think we should get him something since he doesn't get to see any of his school friends, I bet he is missing everyone."

It was all I could do to swallow the lump in my throat, here I am stressing about my lil guy and him being upset about not having his brace, when he is thinking about his friend who he hasn't seen in months, birthday. He is truly one of the most empathetic 10 year old boys I have ever met. We decided to get him a 25$ Visa Gift Card, along with a hand written letter that he got all of his classmates to sign and then we dropped it off to his mom who works at the bank I go to.

He received a video message from Gavin that night saying Thank You. I wish I could of gotten Marcus's reaction to Gavin's video on camera, cuz the smile on his face was a big as the one he has on Christmas morning. The joy of giving and doing for others is so strong in my little man, I can only pray he never loses it. I only hope he will be as kind to himself as he is to others.

He received a couple Xbox gift cards for Christmas and begged me to let him gift them to other people online when he was playing. I told him he could gift one of them but he had to keep one for himself. Again I wish you could of seen his face when the kid on the other end of his headphones was in shock and thanking him so much.

This kid has been teaching me since the day his leg 1st gave out, about grace, generosity, kindness, and the power of a small child with a big smile and an even bigger heart.

I hope this story helped put a smile on your face, and inspired you to do a little something for someone else today, and may it bring you as much Joy as it brings both my son & I.

By: Laurie Chambers (AKA Marcus's Mom)