Kim and I know we’ve been blessed in so many ways since we began this journey with Anthony, which started in Palo Alto, California, Feb. 2. It started with a telephone call at 4:02 am and a very long plane ride. When we finally arrived at Stanford Hospital’s ICU and found Anthony surrounded by all those lifesaving machines beeping and flashing 97 days ago from this date, Sunday, May 12, 2013. It seems like an eternity ago.

We’ve attended many teacher conferences , graduations and, of course, 23 birthday parties. Always taking in information and creating memories that will help guide Anthony, hopefully,  to the right paths and decisions in his journey through life.  At first, as you may expect, we were not ready for want we found in the ICU. It’s hard to understand how to guide your child when everyone around you is so grim, when the nurses and doctors are talking about how to keep Anthony alive.

But check out this photo! Several times a week, Anthony spends time on his stomach. They are doing whatever they can to strengthen his core and other parts of his body. The casts on his feet are pushing the balls of his feet up to his knees. This will increase the range in his tendons, which have tightened up and shortened, which makes it hard to put pressure on his feet and walk. Listen to this.  So here’s

Anthony, a cast on each leg for the past two weeks. His PT team wanted to put a cast on his left arm to for the same reason he had the casts on his legs. Before they put the left hand and arm in a cast, they asked Anthony if he wanted to wait until the leg casts were off. He chose to have three casts on his body.  This picture and Anthony’s attitude demonstrate how God’s healing is working, how the many, many prayers that are being sent out from across the country are giving Anthony the strength and right mentality he needs to get through this.

This is a picture of a survivor and fighter; a person who has an awesome attitude; a person with a will to live and to work hard to get what he wants. While he was growing up many times I told Anthony that our strength is built through adversity and struggles. Not necessarily when everyone is smiling and times are good. Anthony will have the strength of Hercules when he reaches the end of this journey.

By looking at this picture, I continue to see how Anthony is touches people in very positive ways, just as he has done over the past 23 years. Kim and I have had so many people, young and old and in all walks of

life, tell us how Anthony has touched their lives. It has been truly amazing. I know I’m his parent, and of course I will say positive things about any of our children.  I don’t want to say that Anthony didn’t his challenging times as he was growing up but that’s for another story. If you could be on this end of the receiving line, you would have a deeper understanding of what i’m trying to say.

Even when Anthony was lying in the ICU he was giving back. When the young residents and doctors would surround his bed, they would talk about the severity of his brain trauma and what they needed to do to keep him alive. It was a very grave situation, many of them would tell us. When you look at these future doctors and see the expression on their faces as they look down at Anthony as he lies there motionless and unconscious, you can’t help but think they are learning something that will help someone else survive their own sickness or brain trauma after they become doctors.

What they can’t see is Anthony’s tremendous will and determination to do the best he can when dealing with any situation life dishes out to him. Kim and I can hardly wait to see the strength Anthony will display Aug. 17, 2013, which is 97 days from today.

When I write a post it’s really hard not to thank everyone who have been their for Anthony.  I’m sorry if anyone gets tired of me saying that but know it comes from Kim’s and my heart.