Score One for Courage and a Little Help from Some Everyday Heroes
By Pam Witt-Hillen, flight nurse, ThedaStar
Some of us may have unrealized aspirations or dreams we haven’t quite captured for “fear of trying” or maybe even failing. Taking those first steps or “just doing it” can honor our psyche more than actualizing the goal itself. However, confronting our fears and taking that leap of faith forward oftentimes warrants the most courage. And that bravery can be expedited by some of our key heroes.
For 36-year-old Jesse Slinger, the dream or notion of running a 10K run in Green Bay never held so much gravity or meaning until a motorcycle crash threatened the loss of his left leg and him ever running again. This accomplished Appleton athlete’s trademark “I can and I will” attitude would need to work in overdrive.
On June 2, 2015, Jesse was on his motorcycle heading home from work when a car pulled out in front of him at a city intersection, resulting in a glancing blow that pinned his left leg between the motorcycle and car. He was helmeted and suffered no loss of consciousness. He was taken to the ThedaCare Trauma Center in Neenah. He suffered severe open fractures of his left lower leg bones. Jesse was taken immediately to surgery by orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr. Brian Sears for reconstruction of his open wounds and fractures.
The extreme pain he could handle. It was his continued slow progress and the news of possibly losing his leg in the following months post-surgery that he couldn’t process. Jesse would undergo four more surgeries, including a skin graft and bone graft. Dr. Sears said he probably would never walk “normal” again let alone run again. He talked about the possibility of amputating his leg. Because of his original fracture with the bones so shattered, there was non-healing or delayed union of the many bony fragments. He would not be able to bear weight on such an unstable leg. So many uncontrollable variables with so many new limitations caused “too much thinking time for me with so many selfish what ifs,” Jesse said. He was up to the physical challenges ahead but needed some help with the emotional work.
Here is where he needed to call upon his everyday heroes to buoy his spirits and to begin cultivating some forward motion. Our heroes can guide us in our personal storms and transform our lives. His family’s unending devotion and memories of his former Pop Warner coach and his belief in his ability to succeed would help him lift his sights a little higher. Small statured, Jesse said “people told me I was too tiny to play football when I was young.” He laughed, recalling the Mr. Hustle statue/trophy his football coach gave him “because of the powerful force I was on the field and that I could out-hustle anybody. I might be small, but I have the competitive spirit and a heart the size of 5 people combined.”
Jesse is an all-conference swimmer who was groomed on family summer vacations. He played both college and semi-pro football. He has not missed a day in the gym since he was 21. “My parents always inspired me with their selflessness and by their overcoming overwhelming obstacles throughout my childhood,” he said. His father reminded him that heroes are made by the paths they choose. His triple-A-home-team (wife Angie, son Austin, and daughter Addison) cheered him on with endless support and compassion. They tempered all the tough stuff with love and understanding. He recalls Dr. Sears being “so sensitive as to not make me ever feel hopeless.” Their combined efforts “kept me moving forward.”
To quote Hercules, “a true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.” It is how one bears up under duress. Back at the familiar gym, Jesse would find his confidence and begin “to go to work.” He started working out on a home gym four weeks after his accident; he returned to the YMCA on his crutches eight weeks after. “I was going to fight to be the best me possible. I reported daily to the Y five days a week for four months. The best Christmas present I got last year was my ability to walk without crutches. From being told I may never walk normal again and 18 months until walking can start, I did it in six months. Tell me I can’t and I will show you I can!”
This July, a year and a month after his crash, Jesse beat the odds and ran the 10K run in Green Bay in just over an hour. This was the best way to finish his lengthy ordeal. His wife Angie also intended to run but bowed out when Jesse decided to run. She rather opted to witness her husband’s “race of a lifetime.” Jesse’s feat of recovery had less to do with his physical legs and so much more with his strength of character and determination. He also reflected “that out of this harrowing experience, I met so many inspirational people/strangers who would not have had such a positive impact on me if this whole thing had never happened.” As for his future, stay tuned. There’s much more to come. He has hinted at some great future plans to help others in similar situations. He can. He will. His fearless is showing. They say “when life throws you a curveball, knock it out of the park”– like Jesse did. And to reiterate for the rest of us on the sidelines, consider “going for it” even when the going gets tough. Welcoming a sense of possibility can be refreshing. By taking the leap, dreams can come true.
