March 13, 2001

Dear Family and Friends,

It seems we are all learning some life lessons from Dan’s limitations. Nicole (6 yrs. old) has a computer baseball game that she likes to play. Part of the game is picking players for your team. Nicole’s favorite player to get on her team is a boy in a wheelchair. She loves to have him on her team because she says, “That’s you, Daddy!”

This weekend was another exciting “first” for Dan and Candi as they took their first trip since the accident. Saturday morning they left to make the 6-hour trip to Ventura, CA. Candi was driving through Salinas when she looked down at her speedometer and noticed that she was going a little too fast. As she started to slow down, she glanced in her rear view mirror to make sure there wasn’t a Highway Patrol behind her…but there was…with his lights on! Candi pulled over and the Highway Patrol asked Candi for all the usual items. As Candi was looking for her insurance card, Dan pleaded with the officer to let them go with a warning. Candi continued to look for her insurance card, and for lack of something better to say, threw out, “he broke his neck in December”. She explained that her insurance card was probably in her other car, because the van was a rental. After the officer talked with Candi for a short time, he told her to slow down and let her go with only a warning. Candi was very relieved because, as she put it, “I don’t have time to spend a whole day in “Traffic School!” and although Dan was happy that Candi didn’t get a ticket, he told her, “girls get all the breaks!”

Candi and Dan were grateful to have Candi’s parents join them on the trip. They all enjoyed dinner with Mark Zier’s family on Saturday evening. (Mark was the youth pastor that Dan and Candi worked with when they lived in San Diego and is now the Youth Pastor at Ventura Missionary Church).) Dan, of course, had the whole family laughing, sharing his humorous moments from the last 3 months.

They all stayed in a hotel that night in Ventura. Dan and Candi had a wheelchair accessible room. Dan was very happy to stay in this room because it was equipped with a wheelchair accessible shower! He was very excited to take his first shower since the accident. The shower had a stool in it to sit on and Candi figured that the transfers had been fairly simple lately, and she could handle moving Dan from the wheelchair to the stool by herself. It wasn’t as easy as she thought and Dan ended up barely on the stool and propped against the wall. At this point he asked Candi to call her dad. She did and her dad came and saved the day! Dan enjoyed his shower; he said it felt great!! Sleeping in a hotel room also meant no hospital bed! Another “first” - Dan and Candi were able to sleep together in the king size bed! Dan slept great!

Sunday morning Dan spoke in the High School Sunday School class at the Ventura Missionary Church. He brought pictures to share, talked about his accident and what he has learned through his circumstances. Candi said the kids were very quiet and attentive. Dan and Candi also attended the Worship Service and were thrilled to meet so many people, face-to-face, who have been praying for Dan. A doctor at the service again reminded them, that they truly are experiencing a miracle! He told Dan, “You are a miracle; with your injury you should not be doing this!” Praise the Lord for the miracles that He has chosen to accomplish in Dan’s life!

Sunday afternoon Dan shared his experience as the inspirational speaker at The ARC awards ceremony. This group provides services to people with developmental disabilities. Candi said it was a wonderful event!

Darrell started full-time physical therapy with Dan on Monday. We will update you later this week on the current muscle count. The best news of all, of course, is that Dan’s halo is coming off today at 1:00 pm!! We will also tell you about this in our next update (and maybe add some new pictures of Dan…halo-less).

Thank you again for your continued prayers!! Candi said they are so thankful for the new strength that Dan receives every day! A month ago, this trip would not have been possible.

Janet Hadley