VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M PARSON'S FOUNDATION HELLO EVERYBODY, I'M HUELL HOWSER AND IN THE NORTHRIDGE REHABILITATION CENTER HERE AND VISITING WITH?

I'M TOM HEDGE.

Huell: YOU'RE THE HEAD GUY AROUND HERE.

YES, I'M THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR.

Huell: YOU'VE GIVEN US PERMISSION TO SPEND THE AFTERNOON HERE, TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO COME IN AND OUT OF THIS REHABILITATION, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'RE GOING TO FIND TODAY.

WHAT KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TODAY?

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE.

YOU'LL MEET SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INSPIRING, THEY'RE WHAT MAKES THE STAFF AND MYSELF A PLEASURE TO COME TO WORK, DAY BY DAY.

Huell: THESE ARE SUCCESS STORIES HERE.

FOR THE MOST PART, YOU MIGHT MEET OTHER PEOPLE IN THE PROCESS.

BUT CERTAIN THESE YOUNG MEN, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE ARE GOING TO BE ANY WOMEN HERE, ARE VERY MUCH SUCCESS STORY.

Huell: WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IN THE PROCESS, YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT IN THE TECHNICAL MEDICAL PROCESS, BUT A MENTAL AND A SPIRITUAL AND A PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESS THAT GOES ON HERE AS WELL ISN'T THERE?

EXACTLY IN ADDITION TO THE PHYSICAL PROCESS.

Huell: AND WHAT DOES THAT VOLUME?

PHYSICAL THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, SPEECH THERAPY, IT'S LIKE BEING IN THE MARINE CORPS, WE'RE SHOWING PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.

NOT ONLY EXERCISE, BUT TECHNIQUES OF MOVEMENT.

THEY HAVE TO RELEARN TO LIVE LIFE.

Huell: ARE YOU DEALING WITH THEIR VISION OF WHAT LIFE IS.

YOU'RE GETTING PEOPLE SOMETIMES IN A REAL DOWN TURN.

Eç THIS IS MOST OFTEN THE WORSE THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEIR LIFE.

WE WANT TO PROJECT THE PEOPLE, BEING LIKELY THAT THEY'LL NEVER WALK AGAIN.

THAT THERE WILL BE CHANGES WITH THEIR BODY THAT ARE UNFIXABLE.

THAT THEY'LL HAVE TO RELEARN THINGS THAT WERE NATURAL TO THEM BEFORE.

Huell: BUT IT WILL BE A GOOD DAY.

YES, SIR.

Huell: NOW, I MET LIKE IN THE ELEVATOR TODAY, AND I WAS CURIOUS, I FIGURED OUT YOU WERE COMING UP HERE TO REHAB, AND I WAS STARTING TO TALK WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR STORY.

YEAH.

Huell: WHAT IS YOUR STORY HERE, HOW DID ALL OF THIS HAPPEN?

WELL LAST YEAR IN JANUARY, I WAS SNOW BOARDING, AND I WENT OFF A JUMP AND I LANDED IN THE BACK OF MY NECK, AND I FROEK IT.

SO I WAS PARALYZED AND I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR TWO MONTHS AND THREE MONTHS IN REHAB HERE.

AND I'VE BEEN GOING TO REHAB HERE SINCE THEN.

Huell: NOW YOU WERE A GREAT ATHLETE, SNOW BORDER, YOU DID THIS A LOT.

YEAH.

Huell: WHERE DID IT HAPPEN?

BIG BEAR.

Huell: DO YOU REMEMBER OR IS IT A BLUR?

YEAH, I REMEMBER EVERYTHING.

I NEVER LOST CONSCIOUSNESS OR ANYTHING.

Huell: BUT YOU CAN NOT MOVE FROM THE MOMENT IT HAPPENED.

AS SOON AS IT HIT, I TRIED TO GET UP AND NOTHING HAPPENED.

AND WE FIGURED OUT MAYBE SOMETHING HAPPENED.

Huell: AND WHAT IS YOUR SITUATIONEç NOW?

WHAT IS YOUR PROGNOSIS ABOUT YOUR FUTURE?

UM, WELL YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL COME BACK, BUT RIGHT NOW, I'M PRETTY MUCH FROM HERE DOWN, I CAN'T REALLY MOVE ANYTHING.

I'M GETTING SOME MUSCLES BACK IN MY STOMACH, AND LOWER BACK, I CAN MOVE MY HANDS A LITTLE BIT.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD.

Huell: ARE YOU BACK IN SCHOOL?

YUP, I'M BACK IN SCHOOL, FULL-TIME.

Huell: AND I GUESS WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE WANTED TO TALK TO PñrEOPLE ABOUT THEIR ATTITUDE ABOUT HOW--YOU KNOW I THINK WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED IN OUR COUNTRY, ON SEPTEMBER 11th, THIS SENSE OF THINGS CAN HAPPEN THAT CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES.

YEAH.

Huell: THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TO YOU ON A FLASH ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN, YOU WERE AT YOUR PEAK OF EXCITEMENT.

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THIS?

WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THIS?

I TRY TO TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME.

TRY TO DO THE BEST WITH IT--YOU KNOW.

Huell: ARE YOU EVER THOUGHT THAT ANYTHING WOULD EVER HAPPEN TO YOU LIKE THIS?

NO, I HAD NO IDEA.

YOU UH-HUH, ESPECIALLY WHILE I WAS SNOW BOARDING, I FELT PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH MYSELF.

I HAD NO IDEA SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD HAPPEN.

Huell: AND I KNOW THIS IS A SERIOUS QUESTION, BUT I MEAN, HAVEN'T YOU GONE THROUGH PERIODS OF BEING VERY ANGRY AND WHY IT HAPPENED TO YOU.

IF YOU HAD DONE ONE THING DIFFERENTLY.

YEAH.

I'VE ALL HAD ALL THOSE THOUGHTS, IT'S NOT REALLY A HEALTHY THING TO DWELL ON THOSE TYPES OF THOUGHTS.

SO I TRY TO KEEP THOSE AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, SO BUT YEAH, OF COURSE I'VE HAD THOSE--ALL THOSE THOUGHTS.

Huell: AND NOW THAT YOU'RE LIFE HAS CHANGED, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT HAS CHANGED FOR THE BETTER OR WORSE, IT HAS JUST HAPPENED.

YOUR DREAMS OR FUTURE ALL OF THAT HAS CHANGED.

YEAH.

Huell: BUT, IN A POSITIVE WAY?

UM, I DON'T KNOW.

Huell: ARE YOU GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE?

YEAH, I'M GOING TO COLLEGE.

I JUST RESTARTED MY OLD LIFE.

I JUST HAVE TO REFIGURE EVERYTHING.

AND HOPE IT ALL WORKS OUT.

SO--YEAH.

Huell: DO YOU TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED ANYMORE?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

EVERYTHING I HAVE, I'M THANKFUL FOR NOW, SO THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE ALSO.

THAT'S THE WAY I TRY TO LOOK AT IT.

SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR A LOT OF STUFF NOW.

THAT'S FOR SURE.

Huell: WELL THANK YOU FOR SHAIG--SHARING YOUR STORY WITH US.

CAN YOU SHAKE HANDS WITH US YEARS AGO, OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE LEARNED HERE.

IT'S COMING BACK, LIKE A YEAR AGO, I COULDN'T EVEN tçOUCH MY FACE.

IT'S GETTING A LOT BETTER.

Huell: YOU'VE GOT YOUR HAND BACK.

BUT MAYBE NEXT YEAR WHEN I COME BACK, IT WILL BE A GOOD GRIP, YOUR NAME.

MIKE DION.

Huell: AND YOUR GUARD DOG?

YEAH, I MET TOM.

HE TRIED TO PICK ME UP.

Huell: YOU WERE STILL IN THE BED.

YEAH, HE CAME IN AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF AND EXPLAINED THE WHOLE PROCEDURE HERE?

Huell: THIS IS YEAH, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WENT THROUGH HOW MANY YEARS AGO?

16 YEARS.

Huell: AND HOW DID YOUR ACCIDENT HAPPEN?

I WAS MOUNTAIN BIKING BACK IN 1985, WHEN I WENT OFF A DROP ABOUT 15 FEET DOWN, BROKE MY NECK.

FOR THE LEVEL OF INJURY I HAVE, I HAVE A LOT OF MOBILITY.

Huell: SO BOTH OF YOU WERE INJURED IN VERY ATHLETIC ENDEAVOURS AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEVER IN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS YOU THOUGHT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

YEAH, I ROLLED CARS AND NEVER BROKE A BONE IN MY BODY.

I THOUGHT AT THE VERY WORSE, MAY HAVE HAD A BROKEN ARM OR LEG.

Huell: THIS HAPPENED 16 YEARS AGO, SO OBVIOUSLY NOW YOU WERE HELPING PEOPLE COPE WITH IT.

WHAT DID YOU TELL MIKE?

TOLD HIM IT WILL GET BETTER.

IT CANNOT GET WORSE, UNLESS YOU LET IT GET WORSE.

Huell: OR FEELING REALLY SORRY FOR YOURSELF?

YEAH, THAT'S A WASTE OF GOOD ENERGY.

Huell: BUT ISN'T THAT A NATURAL THING?

IT COULD BE--I WAS JUST SO HAPPY TO BE ALIVE.

I THOUGHT IT WAS MY TIME TO GO, WHEN I REALIZED I WAS ALIVE, I WAS GRATEFUL TO BE ALIVE.

I JUST FOCUSED ON THAT.

Huell: AND DO YOU TAKE THIS--MESSAGE AROUND TO OTHERS NOW?

I TRY TO, I MEAN, I WORK IN THE MEDICAL FIELD, I SELL ACCESSIBLE BANDS SELLING MEDICAL SUPPLIES, SO I'M IN AND OUT OF A LOT OF HOSPITAL.

Huell: SO YOU'RE HITTING THESE GUYS UP TO BUY YOUR EQUIPMENT?

IN THE LONG RUN, IT GETS ME HOPEFUL.

EVEN THE FIRST TIME HE WENT HOME, AND THE GUY CAME OUT OF PARKING LOT, IT REMINDED ME OF MY FIRST NIGHTS AT HOME.

I WAS THANKFUL IT WAS NOT ME AGAIN.

Huell: DO YOU REMEMBEE[ THAT?

YEAH, I DO.

WE HUNG OUT THE FIRST NIGHT, IT'S A BIG STEP FOR ME.

Huell: TO BE AT HOME IN YOUR OWN BED?

YEAH IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN IN THE HOSPITAL.

Huell: BECAUSE YOU'RE BECOMING MORE AND NOR SELF SUFFICIENTEç EVERY DAY.

THE HARDER YOU WORK THE BETTER OFF IT GETS.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING GOOD THING ABOUT SPINAL CORD INJURY YOU'VE GOT TO BE ACTIVE.

HE'S GETTING READY TO GO SNOW SKIING?

Huell: YOU'RE GOING SNOW SKIING?

YEAH, IT'S A BIT DIFFERENT, YOU'RE SITTING DOWN--BUT YEAH, I'LL SEE HOW THAT WORKS OUT.

I WANT TO GET BACK ON THE MOUNTAIN.

Huell: YOU GIVE A LOT OF ENCOURAGING WORDS TO THOSE WHO HAVE INJURIES, WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO US AT HOME WHO HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM.

SHOULDN'T WE BE THINKING FOR EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR WHAT IT IS.

WHETHER YOU'RE CHAIR OR NOT, EVERY MOMENT IS PRECIOUS, YOU'VE GOT TO BE GRATEFUL.

GOD DOES NOT GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU CAN HANDLE, BUT EVERY MOMENT IS VALUABLE, AND TRY TO DO THE BEST AS WHAT YOU CAN EVERY DAY.

Huell: AND DON'T YOU THINK WE'RE ALL GUILTY FOR TAKING THINGS FOR GRANTED?

ABSOLUTELY, I TOOK SO MUCH FOR GRANTED BEFORE AND EVEN AFTER MY INJURY'.

AND AFTER SEPTEMBER 11th THAT'S ANOTHER WAKE UP CALL.

Huell: THAT WE SHOULD ALL THINK OF EACH DAY.

EACH MOMENT, EACH HOUR, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRECIOUS LIFE.

Huell: THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY FOR US.

THANK YOU.

Huell: YOUR DOG DIDN'T MOVE THE WHOLE TIME.

EILEEN, DO YOU WANT TO SAY HI.

I JUST GOT HER ABOUT 9 MONTHS AGO, I HAD ANOTHER DOG FOR ABOUT 13 YEARS.

Huell: SHE'S YOUR CAM YOUR--COMPANION.

IF I SAY, HEIDI GET MY PEN, STEP, GIVE.

GIVE--THAT A GIRL.

GOOD DOG.

HIGHLY UP.

Huell: DO YOU TELL HER TO LICK?

SHE LIKES TO LICK.

HEIDI, DON'T HEEL, THAT A GIRL.

DOWN, GOOD DOG.

I MEAN--THAT'S THE BIG DEAL TOO.

THEY SAY WHAT DO YOU HAVE THE DOG FOR.

JUST TO BE ABLE TO PICK SOMETHING UP FOR YOU, IT GIVES ME MORE INDEPENDENCE, I DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEBODY TO COME HELP.

WHATEVER I DROP, SHE'S THERE TO GET IT FOR ME.

TUG MY DOOR OPEN AND CLOSE THE DOOR, AND THE COMPANIONSHIP IS NICE TOO.

Huell: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR STORY.

YOUR NAME?

TOM.

Huell: TOM, MIKE AND?

HIGHLY.

Huell: HOW VISITING WITH ALAN, WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO MEET YOU TODAY.

WE MET THESE OTHER TWO GUYS AS WE WERE COMING UP THE ELEVATOR, BUT WE HAD HEARD YOUR B YOUR STORY, BECAUSE YOUR STORY IS AN AMAZING STORY OF WHAT YOU HAVE HAD TO OVERCOME, AND I THINK IT'S INTERESTING TO SET THE STAGE BY JUST TELLING US HOW YOU GOT TO THIS PLACE?

WELL, TO GET TO THIS PLACE, ORIGINALLY, I STARTED OUT WITH A HERN IIA AND I WENT IN FOR A HERNIA OPERATION, CAME HOME THE SAME DAY AND ABOUT A WEEK LATER GOT FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS.

WENT TO THE DOCTOR SAID I PROBABLY HAD THE FLU.

SENTEç ME HOME, AND THAT SAME EVENING, I WAS FEELING REALLY BAD, I CAN BARELY WALK.

I WENT BACK TO THE SAME HOSPITAL AND WENT INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, AND THAT EVENING I WENT INTO A COMA, AND A FEW WEEKS LATER, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS LATER, I WOKE UP HAVING ALL FOUR LIMBS AMPUTATED.

Huell: SO YOU HAD A STAFF INFECTION THAT HAD GONE THROUGH YOUR BODY.

I HAD COME TO FIND OUT, I HAD DEVELOPED SOME STAFF INFECTION THAT WAS CAUSING MY BODY TO SHUT DOWN.

Huell: SO SOMETHING HAS SIMPLE AS A HERNIA OPERATION, WHICH IS ALMOST OUTPATIENT, YOU GO IN AND COME OUT THAT NIGHT, CHANGED YOUR LIFE AS ABOUT SOMETHING AS DRASTIC HAS SOMETHING CAN BE CHANGED.

HOW DID YOU AT FIRST BEGIN TO COPE WITH THAT?

WITH THE FIRST, I GUESS THE FIRST FEW DAYS, I KEPT ON GOING BACK TO SLEEP, THINKING THAT IT WAS A DREAM OR A--MIGHTNIGHTMARE, AND WENT BAC SLEEP HOPING WHEN I WOKE UP THINGS WOULD NOT BE THAT DAY.

AND EACH TIME I WOKE UP, I FOUND OUT THE REALISM OF IT ALL.

THIS MAY SOUND FUNNY, BUT, YOU CAN EITHER BE IN TWO PLACES, CAN EITHER BE IN TWO-PLACES, YOU CAN BE IN THE GOOD PLACE OR IN A PLACE THINKING ABOUT HOW HORRIBLE IT IS.

AND IT'S SUCH A BAD AND HORRIBLE PLACE TO GO MENTALLY TO THAT PLACE, THAT I THINK YOU'RE MIND OR MY MIND, JUST TRIED TO KEEP ON THE GOOD SIDE OF IT ALL.

I WAS A FWRAID--AFRAID TOEç THI HORRIBLE THAT WAS.

SO THAT KEPT ME GOING FROM DAY-TO-DAY, THAT'S BASICALLY HOW I FELT ABOUT IT IN THE BEGINNING.

Huell: AND IT'S BEEN A GROWING PROCESS EVERY DAY.

YEAH.

Huell: EVERY DAY IS ANOTHER CHAPTER.

YES, IT IS EVERY DAY.

AND AS TIME GOES ON, IT'S KIND OF LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.

I WAKE UP WITH--NOT WANTING TO GO TO THERAPY AND SOME DAYS I WANT TO GO.

I HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS, JUST LIKE I WOULD IF I WOULD BE ANY OTHER PERSON.

Huell: BUT DO YOU EVER WAKE UP WITHOUT REALIZING HOW LUCKY IT IS TO BE ALIVE.

YOU WILL NEVER EVER TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED AGAIN.

SOUNDS ALMOST CLICHE TO TALK ABOUT HOW I WISH I DIDN'T TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED BEFORE, BUT WE ALL DO.

EVEN NOW I TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED.

BECAUSE I'M GROWING, AND I THINK AS WE GROW WE GO BACK TO THAT SAME MODE OF TAKING THINGS FOR GRANTED.

BUT FEELING LUCKY TO BE ALIVE, THAT WAS ACTUALLY--THAT WAS ACTUALLY ANOTHER REASON WHY I WAS ABLE TO KEEP ON GOING.

FEELING LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.

SO THAT HELPED OUT A LOT--.

Huell: AND HAVING YOUR WIFE AND CHILDREN?

YEAH, HAVING MYEç FAMILY, AN MY WONDERFUL WIFE, WHO TAKES CARE OF ME.

IT HELPED OUT A LOT.

IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD ACTUALLY.

Huell: NOW ALAN YOU HOOKED UP YOUR LEGS AND THIS IN ITSELF IS AN AMAZING FEET.

YOUR ARMS WERE AMPUTATED ABOVE THE KNEE.

YEAH, ABOVE THE NEON BOTH SIDES.

THE BALANCING PART OF IT, TOOK LONGER THAN THE ACTUAL WALKING PART IT.

IT'S LIKE FALLING FARTHER EACH STEP--THAT'S ACTUALLY THE EASIER THING TO DO.

BUT THE STOPPING AND STANDING AND BALANCING IS THE HARD PART.

Huell: CAN YOU WALK THIS DAY.

YOU'RE THE PHYSICAL THERAPY.

YOUR NAME?

I'M GARY.

Huell: WHAT'S IT LIKE TO WALK WITH THIS GUY.

MAKES MY JOB EASY, THAT HE'S MOTIVATED AND WILLING TO WORK HARD EVERY DAY.

Huell: YOU WERE TELLING ME IT TAKES SOMEBODY WITH A LOT OF HEART TO DO THIS.

ABSOLUTELY.

THIS INJURY IT SEEMS RARE BUT IT'S FAIRLY COMMON.

PEOPLE ARE NOT WILLING TO GO THROUGH THE EFFORT.

Huell: YOU'RE BASICALLY, CAN WE WALK A LITTLE BIT.

YOU'RE LEARNING TO WALK ALL OVER AGAIN.

YEAH, IT'S--GOSH, IT TOOK ME A YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS TO GET TO THIS POINT.

Huell: JUST THE BALANCE AND THE MECHANICAL PART OF IT?

YEAH, BALANCE PART, LIKE I SAID, IS THE BIGGEST PART.

AND PUTTING EVERYTHING ALTOGETHER, ALL THE LITTLE BITS AND PIECES THAT GARY HAS THOUGHT ME OVER THIS PERIOD OF TIME.

IT TAKES A LONG TIME.

THERE WERE A LOT OF TIMES WHERE I COULDN'T SEE A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, AT ALL.

AND I WOULD JUST COME HERE AND WHAT I WOULD SAY TO MYSELF, WELL, AT LEAST I'M GETTING EXERCISE.

I'M GETTING A WORKOUT.

AND IN MY MIND, IT WOULD END THERE.

BUT IT, THERE FOR A WORKOUT AND I JUST HOPED IT WOULD HAPPEN.

AND THERE WERE TIMES WHERE I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND TIMES THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

PROBABLY WITHIN THE LAST FIVE TO SIX MONTHS, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WALK ON MY OWN.

Huell: SO A LOT OF THIS IS PSYCHOLOGICAL AS MUCH AS PHYSICAL.

AND A LOT OF TRUST, HE'S VERY TRUSTING WITH ME.

I'VE TRIED A LOT OF NEW IDEAS WITH HIM.

AND RATHER THAN STEPPING BACK, HE MEETS THE CHALLENGE.

Huell: IT'S GOT TO BE, YOU'VE GOT TO BE COMING FROM A POSITIVE PLACE, 23R A GOOD PLACE FOR THIS TO WORK?

ABSOLUTELY.

HE'S GOT TO BE COMMITTED TO JUST STANDING UP ON THESE THINGS IS HARD.

HE HAS TO SAY I'M GOING TO GET UP EVERY TIME, BUT EVERY TIME HE SAYS I'M GOING TO GET UP AND HE GETS UP.

DAYS WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT NOT COMING IN, HE SHOWS UP ANYWAY EVEN IF HE'S A LITTLE BIT SICK.

Huell: WERE YOU ALWAYS THAT KIND OF A PERSON, TO THINK OF A POSITIVE THINGS?

I LIKE TO THINK THAT I WAS, I THINK A LOT OF TIMES, I WASN'T.

THAT'S FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO JUDGE.

I THINK I WAS, BUT THIS--THIS SURELY WAS A TEST.

YOU KNOW, SO--.

Huell: A BIG TEST.

YEAH.

Huell: AN ON GOING TEST.

YEAH, EVERY DAY.

AND THERE IS STILL A LOT MORE TO ACCOMPLISH.

I DON'T--ONE OF THE THINGS IS GOING DOWN STEPS AND UP STEPS, I CAN ONLY DO ONE STEP.

I CAN'T DO ANYMORE OF THAT.

BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON SO IT'S ON GOING.

Huell: WIFE, MOTHER, KIDS?

YEAH.

Huell: AND THERE HE IS, THE MAN OF THE HOUR.

AND BOY, WHAT A COUPLE OF YEARS THIS HAS BEEN FOR YOUR FAMILY?

IT'S BEEN A TOUGH TOUGH TWO YEARS.

TWO AND A HALF GOING ON THREE YEARS.

Huell: SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD NEVER IN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS THINK WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOUR FAMILY?

THESE KIND OF THINGS HAPPEN TO EVERYONE ELSE.

YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL IT HAPPENS TO YOU.

BUT IN MY WILDEST DREAM I NEVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD HAPPEN.

Huell: DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS FOR US ABOUT HOW THIS--SEEMINGLY TERRIBLE NEGATIVE THING HAS TURNED INTO THIS WONDERFUL POSITIVE THING?

ANY ADVISE FOR THE REST OF US ON,000--HOW TO THINK OF THIS?

JUST BE THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING WE HAVE.

AND BE STRONG AND JUST--BE THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE.

AND DON'T TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED.

Huell: DO YOU THINK YOUR FAMILY IS STRONGER 1234.

OH DEFINITELY, IT MADE US A LOT STRONGER, WE DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT LITTLE THINGS ABOUT LITTLE THINGS LIKE WE USED TO.

Huell: DON'T COMPLAIN?

NO.

Huell: YOU NEVER COMPLAIN?

NO.

Huell: THAT'S CHANGED THAT'S SOMETHING NEW IN YOUR FAMILY.

BEFORE THAT YOU WOULD?

YEAH, LITTLE MINOR THINGS.

DEFINITELY MADE THE KIDS STRONGER.

Huell: AND IT ISN'T IT A SHAME THAT IT TAKES THIS TO MAKE US REALIZE, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

EXACTLY.

IT'S A SAD THING BUT IT'S TRUE.

Huell: AND WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT?

OH GOSH, HAVING UNITY OF FAMILY.

AND HAVING YOUR FAMILY WITH YOU WHEN--JUST WITH YOU ESPECIALLY IN A HARD TIMES.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT HELPED ALL OF US.

WE ALL HAVE STRONG FAMILIES AND VERY SUPPORTIVE.

AND WE THANK FOR THAT EVERY DAY?

Huell: EVERY DAY.

EVERY DAY.

AND WATCHING ALAN, JUST HE'S--I LEARN SO MUCH FROM HIM.

JUST WITH HIS ATTITUDE IN THE MORNINGS ON IN EVERY DAY LIFE.

AND WE'RE STILL LEARNING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL LEARNING.

Huell: HE'S MOVING PRETTY FAST.

COME ON UP HERE ALAN.

LET'S GET A SHOT OF THE FAMILY HERE TOGETHER.

Huell: BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN REALLY A STORY OF A POSITIVE STORY ABOUT LIFE AND LOVE AND FAMILY.

FOR SURE.

Huell: AND I WANT TO THANK YOU NOT ONLY FOR SHARING YOUR STORY BUT YOUR FAMILY AND ATTITUDE.

WITH ALL 6 US.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

I'M GLAD WE CAN SHARE THE STORY.

Huell: MAYBE WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM THIS STORY FROM THIS FAMILY RIGHT HERE.

VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH PARSON'S FOUNDATION.