Good things should happen to good people.
And it totally sucks when it doesn't.
I volunteer in the pediatrics ward of a rehabilitation hospital, and over the past couple of weeks, I've gotten to know a young man pretty well. He's great. He smiles, he's polite, he's encouraging, he's active, he cracks jokes, and he's really super sweet. But the first couple of weeks, he could barely get around in his wheelchair, depending on others to cart him around. His condition seemed dismal at best when he first came in - no one could understand what he was trying to say, he had casts on literally every single limb of his body, and it didn't seem as though he'd ever walk again. But as time has passed, his therapy seems to be working, and every week, there's a new improvement to crow about. No neck brace! No feeding tube! No trach! His complete mastery over his power wheelchair. His first full sentence. His attempts at walking again. Every time I see him, he greets me with his huge beautiful smile (that only recently has come out of hiding), and tells me excitedly about the new happenings in his life, and together we pump air and yell out yays and hurrahs.
And his mom. She is absolutely amazing. A force to be reckoned with. Every day, she wakes up at 5am so that she can drive into the city and be there when he wakes up - sitting in his room, reading the newspaper, pretending everything is normal. And somehow, she knows the perfect balance of being there for him, but not being overbearing. She goes to therapy with him, encouraging him on, reassuring him when he can't do something, pushing him to new limits at other times, and always smiling. She works on crosswords during rec time, so that he can talk with the other boys about sports and cars without a mother hovering close-by. Then, after getting the next day's schedule from the nurses and figuring out events that her son would want to go to - yes to the jazz concert, no to dogs (he wouldn't be able to pet them), yes to the scary movie - she waits until he falls asleep around ten, and then she makes the two-hour commute home to make sure her daughter and husband ate more than just pizza for dinner.
She does this every day. Every day for the past two months.
Now I've always admired these two. I don't know how I would do it. If I could do it. Because I'm pretty positive that I wouldn't be able to stay optimistic. I wouldn't be able to keep smiling.
I never pried to find out how it happened. Why he was in the hospital. Why he couldn't walk anymore. Then one day, it came up casually in conversation. Car accident. I didn't ask for more details. I just assumed that it was his fault. Drunk driving perhaps. An illegal right turn.
His high school had a benefit for him a couple weeks ago, and so it was on the news. And the actual details came out. It was a car accident. But it wasn't his fault. He and his friend were driving to the supermarket to get more soda for a choir fundraiser. Unbeknownst to them, two men had robbed a bank, and were being pursued by the police. The two men, making their getaway, crashed into them, killing the friend, and leaving my new friend so severely injured.
This shouldn't happen to good people. It's not fair. And I know life's not fair, but when things like this happen, I can't help but feel completely and utterly discouraged.
He's supposed to be a senior in high school. He was in musical theatre. He probably would have been the lead male in this year's musical -Wicked, his favorite. His mom says he sings like an angel. Right now, he's just learned how to reform his sentences.
These people are good people. This shouldn't be happening to them. They shouldn't be making plans for Thanksgiving in a hospital - wondering if the cafeteria will let them deep-fry a turkey. He should be at home. Living out a plain ol' happy, normal life. Making plans with his friends to go ice-skating. Freaking out over whom to ask to the big Homecoming dance.
I know. I'm getting too attached. But I can't help but wonder...what happened to justice and karma and all that good stuff?
'Cause he really really really doesn't deserve this.
3 years ago
