Mississippi Canoe Challenge
Matt wrote about our visitors Monday. Dan Hopwood, Dan Burton and Steve O’Reilly paddled down the Mississippi to meet us on the banks close to Arkansas City. We had been text messaging them and knew about what time to expect them. It was exciting to see the guys in the canoe with the UK flag and the US flag waving in the wind. These British guys were amazing. Dan Hopwood has a spinal cord injury. Dan is an inspiration to Matt, John and myself and to everyone he meets. He shows us what courage, strength, determination really mean and has the mindset that his paralysis will not stop him from pursuing his dreams. I am so proud that Matt had the opportunity to meet and talk to him. Great Britian should be proud of these guys and how they are representing their country. The cause of spinal cord research is close to my heart and what a difference this awareness will make in the lives of many dealing with paralysis daily. The guys could not have been nicer and more appreciative. It was refreshing listening to them talk and compare different things from our countries — like how to make tea! They said gas was cheap here…as it was $9.00 a gal. over there (and we thought it was bad!) They were so much fun and exciting to be around… we loved them and didn’t want to see them leave. My friends also fell in love with them. Dan B. has been sending us text messages after they set up camp to let us know where they are and how many miles they went. We can chart their progress with our maps that have the mile markers from home. The river trip is 2,341 miles and they paddled almost 70 miles the day they met us. The money they are raising goes to spinal cord research…all 100% of it. I can not think of a better cause.
Dan B. Dan H. and Steve…(and Stu who we wanted to meet but didn’t) if you are reading this… you are welcome to come back to America anytime and stay with us. You are truly amazing! Your personal challenge of canoeing the Mississippi River is an incredible adventure and one that can only inspire others.
God Bless,
Sancy
This past week I got to meet some really awesome people. I met three guys from Great Britain who have been canoeing down the Mississippi River during the past weeks. One of the guys has a spinal cord injury and they are canoeing to promote Spinal Cord Injury awareness and to raise funds for Spinal Cord Research. They started off from Lake Itasca, Minnesota near the Canadian border and plan to canoe all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. The guys I met were named Dan, Dan, and Steve. These guys were all in the military in Great Britain and Dan H. and Steve were in the Parachute Regiment. We picked them up along the river and carried them to McGehee. We ate steaks that night and visited for awhile. They stayed at the Potlatch Apartments. Mr. Tommy Smith was very gracious in setting them up at the apartments. They stayed that night and the next morning my Dad and Mr. Tommy took them back to the river. They were astonished by the cotton on the side of the road. My mom and her friends loaded them up with a lot of food to eat while they float. It was a lot of fun to visit with them and meet them. Please be sure to keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they float down the river. 
On Thursday, August 16, I traveled to Little Rock with my good friend Kent Owyoung to speak to the Little Rock Central Football Team. They had a preseason dinner at The Whole Hog Cafe. I got hooked up with Little Rock Central Team through a friend of mine, Mr. Randy Rankin. I met Mr. Randy at Baptist Hospital Rehab Institute. His son plays for the Tigers. I spoke to the team for about 15-20 minutes about different issues in life such as attitude, the importance of an education, and to inspire them to be the best that they can be. I told them my story and about different obstacles in my life since my injury. The kids were very respectful and seemed to soak it all in. One of the main things I tried to get across to these kids is that “You Can Do Anything That You want To Do…. With Hard Work, Determination, and Faith”. I look forward to more speaking engagements in the future. I really enjoy speaking because I feel like I have a unique story that opens eyes, ears, and hearts. I have a few more planned for the upcoming future. Thank you for continuing to keep me in your thoughts and prayers. God Bless!