Watch out!! Dad!!

This is Ron Heagy with your motivational message,

On Christmas Eve I was totally excited to take my family on a new Christmas Adventure when the unexpected happened..

2015 has come and gone. For the most part I had a really good year. My daughters Gracie 11 years old and Roni 16 years old and I had a wonderful Christmas. One of our highlights was a trip to the Oregon Gardens. Oregon finest plants and boldest flowers placed in midst of majestic mountains. They feature a most spectacular Christmas light display. In one of nature’s most beautiful places you can walk trails and stop at the fire pits along the way to warm up. Gracie’s favorite part was the ice skating rink at the end of the trail.

When we arrived we were blessed with the last wheelchair accessible parking spot. I nudged my chin control wheelchair out of the van and on to the slippery pavement. It was very cold, and had started raining. I had my caregiver Alanna wrap my scarf around my head tightly. Feeling semi warm and extremely excited I yelled, “Let’s go girls.” I am of course the dad and I plowed forward into the lead. I felt confident in my trailblazing skills.

As I heading down the sidewalk leading straight into the gardens I suddenly felt my wheelchair launch-I was airborne. I was completely caught off guard, and blame the rain and dark pavement. But the truth is I had driven myself right off an 8 inch curb with my snoopy scarf blowing in the wind.
roni and Ron
It happened so fast, there was nothing I could do. The front of my chair began to dive in a downward direction. I could hear my girls with fear in their voices yelling daaaddddd. As I began my decent, the first thing to land was the front left wheel that inadvertently shot me in 180 degree direction to the right. I felt my body jerk against my chest strap which sent both of my hands flying upwards towards my face. As I was catapulting forward my face heading towards the ground. I thought it was time for the ‘Christmas lights’ to go out. But miraculously my chair flipped back and spun down flat on my wheels. Rocking back and forth from the impact, my body was sent into muscle spasms; arms and legs jerking uncontrollably. I sat there dazed for a few seconds, blood pumping through my veins full of adrenaline and not to mention complete embarrassment. I looked up at my daughters, and stated, “Who in the world put that there?” We laughed for a minute after realizing the close call.

What makes this story funnier is I had laughed at a friend doing the same thing a few years back. He went flying out of the doors of a building and he was mad and not paying attention so he went straight off the edge of the sidewalk. He was fine as well. Sitting there, unable to help him, I laughed and said. “You’ll never catch me doing that!”

Thank you Jesus for Christmas miracles. I was left upright instead of smashing my face into the pavement and sending me to the hospital for stitches.

2016 is here and like you I want each year to be a better year than the year before. Would you agree with me that the number 1 ingredient for making it our best year possible is to start with an attitude of gratitude? Join me in thinking a little more positive. Let’s turn the past losses into gains. I personally got to spend quality time with my daughters, family and friends. I am blessed, therefore I am extremely grateful. Although the problems, the paralysis, the painful past, doesn’t disappear as a human being we are given the unique ability to lift our heads up and see Christmas Miracles as they take place throughout the entire year.

As you think back on 2015, are there any miracles you can recall?

Tell your story. Someone is listening. You may be their inspiration.

To your inspirations,

Ron

Posted in Ron's Thoughts.

3 Comments

  1. First and foremost I would like to wish you and your family a happy new year. Ron I can’t express enough how much you inspire everyone around you. I’m glad I can call you my friend. I’d like to share a moment with you from 2015…miracle? Maybe. I don’t know.

    I’m pretty sure that you know our family races karts (yes high performance go karts built strictly for the race track). Last winter I purchased a new kart that is highly desired by many racers. In fact I bought one of only seventeen ever built. Best of everything on it. This little machine is a real beauty. Shiny and ready for race track or car show. Well at least for one race, due to the fact that we race on dirt tracks they don’t always stay real shiny for very long. Anyhow, I’ve got a few races in this kart and every time out we get it a little faster by adjusting the set up under me.

    Late in the winter as we are preparing for the biggest race of the year I bring the kart to the track for practice and during the week we have built a brand new body that has everyone wondering what we’ve done and if we’re even legal (yes it’s legal and very innovative) we were looking for downforce which creates traction and traction makes speed.

    In our first practice session of the night I quickly learn that we have accomplished our missionto to create downforce, so much so the handling needs to be adjusted…A LOT. I learned this as I fight the wheel to turn the kart mere inches off the concrete safety wall at speeds of 60 miles per hour or better. I pull in and the crew goes to work after a deep conversation of proper adjustments.

    In the second outing for practice it doesn’t take long to realize the setup under me is nearly perfect and I’m very comfortable in the kart as it is doing everything I’m demading it to do. We’re really fying around the one-eighth mile dirt oval and I KNOW I’m going faster around the track than I ever have before. This is fun! Faster and faster with each passing lap. Then I realized I’m passing karts with two and half times the engine I have!

    Moments before the second practice session of the evening is about to end I drive the kart wide open into turn one a bit higher than I have all night and t starts to break loose under me and I know I’m on the edge now. I then lift the throttle to gain control of the kart when the unfortunate reality that my throttle is stuck wide open registers in my brain. I react like I’ve done a million times before with a quick stab to the brake pedal to intentionally spin the kart and keep it from a high impact with that aforementioned concrete safety wall. When you touch the brakes hard and quick on these karts 99.9% of the time they will spin to the left or the inside of the track…this wasn’t one of those times. At unofficial track record times and wide open my kart had the crazy idea to turn right and head straight for the wall.

    Before I really even have a chance to react (remember this kart is moving nearly 65mph at the end of the straight), I hear what sounds like a bomb exploding right on top of me and then nothing but an eery silence. The silence ends as my kart descends from reaching an approximate height of nearly twelve feet and catches the top of the wall sending into helicopter spins and I have no idea what is up or down. Another loud crash followed by yet a few more. The kart comes to rest on the top of the track just past the apex of turns one and two and I’m laying on track still trying to figure out what’s up or down, if I’m hurt or dead or alive. After a few seconds I can see my kart smashed up against the wall (so much for that new innovative body we just built) and it is clear that the chassis is twisted like Hulk Hogan just rung out a wash cloth. In the end we loaded up a tore up race kart, a bruised ego, sore left ankle and new appreciation for that thing called life. Everyone in attendance let me know it was one of if not the worst kart wreck they’ve ever seen. I didn’t need any more proof that God is real (I’ve been a believer all of my life) but I will say God had my attention quick, fast and in hurry. My attention these days is now focused on our family business….the kart is currently being rebuilt.

    • God Bless! Obviously miracles still happen, This story made me think about a project I had a long time ago a 4 wheel drive wheelchair, nothing on the market like it. I have the frame and necessary products but I need some help finishing it. My welding guy moved to Alaska. thanks for sharing your story it was well written!
      A good reminder of gods grace and mercy
      RON

  2. Thank you for sharing your story. I think if we all take step back, and not off the curb, we can see miracles all around us everyday! Close calls driving, friends geting through chemo, doctors saving their patients and so much more! I am thankful that you were ok after your thrill ride. May 2016 send many special blessings your way!

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