Our last session of camp was AMAZING! I met this little boy who is absolutely extraordinary. He made my summer! He is totally blind in one eye and VI in the other and he is in a wheelchair. The first day of session he came to the rock wall with his mom, I talked with him and his mom for a minute and she said that they were just going to watch so that her son could see what the rock wall is all about. After a few people went I asked his mom if we could put a harness on him so he could see what it felt like. She agreed so with the help of a few counselors we lifted him out of his chair and put a harness and a helmet on him. He was so happy and smiling and said it felt so weird. Then I asked him and his mom if he wanted to try connecting himself to our ropes course (kids climb 30 feet up a pole and then walk across a wire) and see if we could lift him up. They agreed and so we did. He was all giggles and kept telling us to lift him "higher and higher" it took me and two counselors to lift him but it was totally worth it. He came back every day of session to go up. We got him up the rock wall twice and the ropes course 3 times and it was the most amazing experience of my life! The last day he thanked me and Hercules (my co at the rock wall) and told us how much fun he had and how he never thought that he would be able to climb a wall like "normal" kids do. He totally brought tears to my eyes and I will never forget him. Oh, I can't even describe how good it feels to know I made a difference in his life.
Here are pics from Family Camp #2.
Fullerton in the alcove above my bed, I asked him to "kennel" and he hopped right up.
Chewing bones in his typical style.
For our last session this little girl joined us. Her name is Zesty and she is a sweetheart. She is 6 months old and is a Lyric puppy (Coreenas puppy Lodens sister)
Fuller on our big metal bridge. He was afraid of it the beginning of the summer but by the end didn't care one bit.
I don't think I could ever top my experience this summer. I had an amazing time!
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3 comments:
What a great story about the little boy and the rock wall. Sounds like you had a fabulous and memorable summer, and made it so for other people as well. Welcome back!!
That's so amazing about the little boy! Opening up their world even just a little bit has to be an amazing experience!
Yay for the picture of a Loden neice! I'm sure Coreena will appreciate it greatly, although I don't see the family resemblence (I didn't look too close) she might! :-D
I see the resemblence! they have the same head! She looks just like her mommy, only black! :-D
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