Wednesday, February 5, 2003

My husband and I both grew up in Fayetteville. He's even my high school sweetheart. Our first date was the 1986 senior prom where he whisked me away on the dance floor. We've had a wonderful life together filled with nothing but promise for the future.

However, about 10 months ago, our lives drastically changed. After having problems controlling the movements of his left side, my husband was diagnosed with a grade 4 inoperable brain tumor. This tumor is very aggressive and he is undergoing various treatments to simply prolong his life.

Although this has been a terrible battle, we have experienced so many joys along the way. Both of us have always called Fayette County home, but we had never experienced firsthand the incredible caliber of the people in our community. As Scott struggles for survival, we have received an outpouring of love from everyone around us.

In a matter of weeks last spring, my husband went from managing computer programmers, teaching karate and singing and playing guitar to simply focusing his entire energy on survival. (He's even the guy who designed Heritage Park where the fountain is in town.) This 6-foot-4-inch, 225-pound guy is now in a wheelchair and sleeps in a hospital bed stuck in one corner of our bedroom.

Because he is now partially immobile on his left side and has a large blind spot in his vision, it takes a lot to accomplish everyday routines. He is often tired and weak from this tumor and the chemo, but pushes himself to go to physical therapy three times a week as he fights the damage this disease has caused. When he's up to it, we do go out to eat sometimes because that's one activity he seems to enjoy.

Especially during this fight, I have realized that I am truly blessed with such a loving husband and best friend. This summer while undergoing radiation treatments, he made arrangements for his mother to sneak over to our house and take one of our wedding pictures. This photograph enabled the bakery to recreate a miniature version of our wedding cake to celebrate our 11th anniversary. When we came home, the cake was prominently displayed with the original cake topper. He is truly an amazing man.

Not only has Scott's character shined throughout this journey, but we've seen phenomenal things happening all around us. With a 5- and a 7-year-old, our community has really reached out to support us during this fight. We have received help and support from every area of the community from family and friends to our employers and coworkers. We have been assisted by neighbors, the Cub Scouts, the kids' school and various churches. We don't know how we would be making it without such loving help.

Our neighbors especially touched our hearts this Christmas as they came over with a little lavender envelope. They made a sacrifice to give us money to help out over the holidays. Rather than exchange gifts with their own brothers and sisters, the Walkers decided to give the money to our family. And, when they told their siblings about the idea, they decided to do the same thing too. The amount of the money is not as important as the spirit in which they gave. Scott and I cried in our living room as we received this undeserved outpouring of love.

Recently, our hearts were touched again when we received a call from the mother of an 11-year-old girl. This angel recently had a birthday and asked her party guests to bring a donation for Mr. Scott rather than gifts for her. This act of kindness was so incredible because it was her idea. She doesn't even really know Scott.

As the freckle-faced doll came over to present the gift to Scott, I held back the tears as I truly realized how honored we were to have this amazing child standing in our kitchen. I know that her mother and father must have brimmed with tears too as they realized that Katie will surely grow up one day into a loving, giving woman.

I realize that we are in midst of this storm, but for now I take comfort in my faith and in the generosity of so many people. In this world where we hear so much about violence and hatred, I have been able to personally experience the compassion of others and wanted to share this with my hometown. Thank you to the folks of Fayetteville for taking us in and truly loving us during this trial. Please realize how much you can make a difference in someone's life of others by reaching out to those in need. We have been truly blessed by the kindness of others.

Richelle Jarrett Jordan

Fayetteville