Willie was 19. He had dropped out of high school. He had enlisted in the Army National Guard, but his start date had been delayed because he’d gotten a DUI and was on probation. He was working. He’d just gotten paid and paid his last probation payment. He ate dinner with his grandparents. He had one beer with dinner. He took off on his motorcycle. It was dark. He was on a dirt road headed North out of town. There was a panel truck in front of him, the kind people use to move. The truck was moving slower than he, so he’d started to pass the truck on the left. The driver of the truck, without using his turn signal, suddenly turned left while Willie was still passing. There was no time to react.
The truck and motorcycle collided; and Willie was thrown onto and over the hood of the truck and onto the ground. He had to be life flighted out of the smaller town he lived in to a larger city where there was more medical help available. His spine was crushed. He spent months in rehabilitation before returning home. His life was changed forever.
Here was a young man who was in tiptop physical shape. He’d been walking the hills and mountains since he was a preteen. He’d worked local cattle ranches. He worked on the side construction jobs with his father. He had done roofing and cement work. Now, he was in a wheelchair. Now, he’s in pain every single moment of every single day. The only thing that changes is the intensity of the pain. He has not given up.
In rehab, he told them he didn’t need Occupational Therapy because he was going to do what he was doing when he got injured. He tried to return to cement work but that didn’t work out. For years, he supported himself by welding. When he could no longer do that, he applied for disability. Turns out the amount a disabled person receives is tied to how much has been paid into Social Security for disability on their behalf. The younger the disabled person is when they become disabled, the less they’ve earned and paid in, so the smaller their disability payment. Willie’s payment is currently under $650 a month and he’s 57 years old now. Hardly enough to pay for rent, utilities, transportation, insurance and the sundries of life. He does receive food stamps that are adequate for his needs.
The man driving the truck lied about his actions that night, which caused the accident and put Willie in a wheelchair. There is no auto insurance payout for this man’s mistake.
As he’s aged, he’s gained weight so he’s no longer able to get down on the ground and back up into his wheelchair. When he was younger and weighed less, he was able to do more physical activity.
He’s still a force to be reckoned with. You don’t want to get into a physical altercation with him, as he can take down just about any opponent. He still hunts. He has a CHAMPS designation, and hunts from his vehicle. He has retained his knowledge of the terrain, the animals, and the weapons. He’s an excellent, patient, passionate teacher. He has friends who love him dearly and will come out to help him load up an animal. He has lots of memories from before and after the accident and he’s a great storyteller. He still knows a lot about roofing and cement work. He can share the information in a way that the hearer can use it to do things they don’t know how to do on their own. He can still weld but with a great deal of difficulty and pain.
He has had long term relationships and helped raise other people’s children. He still has his excellent sense of humor and people still love to be verbally abused by his witty remarks.
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