With all the negative, disgusting and disturbing news we've encountered 24-7 of late, it's nice to remind ourselves that the GOOD which happens 24-7 in this world far outweighs all the noisy, newsy nausea.
On this day before Thanksgiving, I would like to share a story which is unfolding in the life of one of my former SHS students, Brandon Adam.
"Slight Detour" readers have seen occasional references to Brandon over the years, especially since 2007, dealing with this brave young man who enlisted in the U.S. Army soon after seeing the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
When 9-11 happened, Brandon was a happy-go-lucky soccer player in my rollicking fifth-period English class at Sandpoint High School, literally, the final class of my career.
I cannot report that I observed a visual change in his attitude that day because we were all visibly shaken by the horrific events that occurred.
In pretty much every English class on Sept. 11, 2001, we talked about what had happened and watched on TV as the aftermath of this horrible attack unfolded.
That one event affected so many lives forever, including Brandon's. http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2007/may/17/messages-from-home/
Over the year's since Brandon's misfortune in Iraq, it's been a thrill to report that this humble, brave and patriotic young man has continued daily to pick up the pieces of his life and to serve as a phenomenal example for those who know him and for those he encounters pretty much everywhere he goes.
He is married to lovely Shannon, an English teacher. At the present time, Shannon is being treated for non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, so she is not working during this school year.
The couple have two adorable daughters.
Recently, another chapter in Brandon's life, which changed dramatically in 2007 began to unfold.
I believe this particular episode definitely fits in the genre of "Thanks Giving."
In this morning's post, I'll simply let website information and Brandon's words tell the tale.
I hope this story uplifts you and inspires you. Do visit the site for Tunnels2Towers.
Good works are happening all across this country. Sadly, they are too often drowned out by the dark elements of our world.
On this day, I am thankful for Brandon, for all of our military, for caregivers, for all who do humanitarian work locally, regionally, nationally and worldwide.
I'm also thankful for the generous giving of corporate America and entities like the NFL.
Enjoy the story.
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| Denver Broncos player Von Miller, Brandon and Shannon Adam |
“ . . . while we have time, let us do good.”
---St. Francis of Assisi
Stephen Siller was a New York fire fighter who died trying to save others in the 9-11 attack.
On September 11, 2001, Stephen, who was assigned to Brooklyn’s Squad 1, had just finished his shift and was on his way to play golf with his brothers when he got word over his scanner of a plane hitting the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
Upon hearing the news, Stephen called his wife Sally and asked her to tell his brothers he would catch up with them later. He returned to Squad 1 to get his gear.
Stephen drove his truck to the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery
Tunnel, but it had already been closed for security purposes.
Determined to carry out his duty, he strapped 60 lbs. of gear to his back, and raced on foot through the tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he gave up his life while saving others.
Determined to carry out his duty, he strapped 60 lbs. of gear to his back, and raced on foot through the tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he gave up his life while saving others.
Stephen’s parents were lay Franciscans and he grew up under the guiding philosophy of St. Francis of Assisi, whose encouraging and inspirational phrase “while we have time, let us do good” were words that Stephen lived by.
Stephen’s life and heroic death serve as a reminder to us all to live life to the fullest and to spend our time here on earth doing good – this is his legacy.
from https://tunnel2towers.org/
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"Just gonna have to figure out ways to pay it forward in the future."
---Brandon Adam
On May 5, 2007, US Army SGT Brandon Adam, of Sandpoint, Idaho, was serving as a combat engineer in the second infantry division in Iraq.
He was the gunner aboard a route clearance vehicle when he was struck by a roadside explosive formed projectile.
SGT Adam suffered the loss of both legs above the knee, serious back injuries including a torn L5 disc, nerve damage, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
SGT Adam, who is married and has two daughters, has not let his injuries hold him back from doing what he loves.
He is a two-time silver medalist in Mono Skier X at the X Games in Aspen (2011 and 2015), a national champion in sled hockey with the Colorado Avalanche, and he’s actively pursuing a position in sled hockey with the US National Team.
Brandon Adam will be receiving his smart home in Colorado.
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Smart Homes: Building for the Bravest
The needs of every catastrophically injured service member are unique. A smart home from our Building for America’s Bravest program is designed and constructed to meet the specific needs of its recipients.
Smart homes host a myriad of features such as automated doors and lighting, wider halls and doorways, special showers to accommodate wheelchairs, automatic door openers, cabinets, counters, and stove tops that can be raised and lowered, back-up generators, and central heating and air conditioning systems that can be controlled by tablets.
These homes enable our most severely injured heroes live better, more independent lives.
When the call came, these brave service members answered. Now, it’s our turn to recognize their sacrifice to our country. Your tax-deductible donation will make a significant difference in a hero’s life.
from the Tunnels2Towers website
https://tunnel2towers.org/Finally, from Brandon, responding to a few questions I recently sent him:
I can only answer a few questions about it. Under contract, I am not to reveal details of how they operate, but I can say I'm working with Tunnels to Towers--The Stephen Siller Foundation.
They are the ones building the home. They are the driver behind all of this. My teammate, with whom I play hockey, talked to me about this Foundation, and he contacted them to tell them to contact me.
Then, I just filled out some paperwork about my injuries, and I qualified to get the home. It really came out of nowhere. We've been in the process to build since April.
It took a while to find the right property because they build rancher homes for us. So, finding flat land was an issue, but we finally did.
We will be building in Silverthorne, Colo. It's a ski town about 15 minutes from Breckenridge.
So, they set us up in Heaven for my family.
We had a choice to build wherever we wanted. So, we chose to move closer to the mountains.
The house should be done by the end of next summer. They can't start building because of the weather, so they should start in April.
All I can say about the NFL is that they are sponsors for the Building for America's Bravest program, which is a partner of Stephen Siller Foundation. Besides that, I don't know their role. GMC is also a big donor too.
That's why I went to the game (Denver Broncos on Nov. 3). Being a recipient of a home, I agreed to go so we can raise more money for future homes.
It's exciting stuff. Completely crazy and unexpected. Very humbling to receive such an awesome gift that will change my life. Also, it's gonna be completely mortgage free. So, obviously, that is massive.
I'm just so fortunate to serve nowadays when people respect veterans. Very lucky. I still struggle with taking a huge gift like this, but I would be crazy to pass it up.
Just gonna have to figure out ways to pay it forward in the future.
My response to Brandon's last statement: you have dearly paid.
Enjoy your new home.
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Meanwhile, Down Under in Kiwi-land with Annie . . . .
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Annie and Kelsi arrived yesterday in a North Island community, which I like to call "the Sandpoint of New Zealand." Taupo was the home of my penpal Robyn who sadly died a few years ago. During our years as penpals, which dated from the early 1980s, we exchanged letters and family photos. It was especially fun in 2003 when we visited Robyn and her husband Steve to see a stack of all the photos that had been sent from Idaho to New Zealand over the decades. I still have them, and I'm sure among her family members, there may be a stack of Love family photos. Great memories of a great place. Today Annie and Kelsi will hike the Tongariro Passage (known as New Zealand's best day hike and home to several scenes from "Lord of the Rings." Upon their return, they'll celebrate Thanksgiving---after all, it's Thanksgiving Day for Americans Down Under. Annie took along a box of stuffing from the homeland for the holiday dinner. |
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