For those that may not be aware, I am only one of seven children that my dad, Kurtis, helped raise under his roof. But seven is a drop in the bucket of those children he provided a listening ear, patience, understanding, and individual guidance. To this day, my sibilings and I have long lost relationships and friends who call him dad over their own blood because he only ever saw possibilities. He would always tell the story of how every 5 years, his doctors would give him only another five years to live, until they finally gave up when he turned 25. He never once failed to see the value of his position no matter how bad it seemed. After giving up his crutches due to arthritis, he never got rid of wheelchairs, instead we would hold wheelie contests. He never failed to take the oppertunity to fool us that he was in excess pain if we bumped his wheelchair pushing him around corners. When I was 9 i didnt want to go to my room and was being defiant. He came towards me to presumably to set the record straight that he the parent and i would comply. I responded by running to the top of the stairs and sticking my tounge out at him, bragging he couldnt get to me there. Boy was i wrong as i watched him leave his wheelchair and walk up the stairs on his hands! My Daddy taught me our limits are not our bodies, our ailments, societies expectations, etc. The only limitations we are subject to are those in our own minds. I know somewhere he's flying high, and eagle in the sky.
