Today marks one year since life changed drastically! One of the lines on Bradie’s Caring Bridge homepage states “God has spared Bradie’s life and is demonstrating His healing power at work within him.” How true this has been displayed repeatedly throughout the past year!

As we talked about what September 10th looks like now, Bradie was sure it was a day to celebrate. He is very much alive! He is thriving, albeit under a new set of expectations. He has no intention of searching out the negative or entertaining pity! His joy and humor are nearly unbelievable. To demonstrate a touch of what it’s like hanging out with Bradie, he was recently in an Ag/Automotive/Hardware store with a buddy. (Bradie wasn’t wearing his prosthetic leg.) He approached the counter: “Excuse me sir. Do you have any spare parts?” The employee responded, “Spare parts for what?” Bradie simply stepped back from his walker and lifted his residual limb, no doubt struggling not to laugh!  

It has been a year of unbelievable hardship and tremendous laughter, unbearable darkness and full of grace and healing. It has stretched us farther than we thought possible, leaving us exhausted and broken... and it has been rewarding, full of blessing and joy. This journey has allowed us to witness with such clarity God’s healing power at work within Bradie!

Throughout this year, we have continuously been so grateful for our community – both local and global – as you have surrounded us and carried us in overwhelming ways! We thank you from the depths of our hearts! We know there are several key factors in being able to come out of this past year feeling so encouraged and you are a huge part of that! As we write what we expect to be the last (or nearly the last) post, it is not lost on us that we are among the fortunate few who can have such a celebration story on Caring Bridge.

As a final update, several big changes for Bradie in the past weeks include being released to return to work (still working on the details) and released to drive on his own again (this took no time at all to work out or implement!) Bradie is appreciating the independence/freedom this has brought him! He is looking forward to adding to his independence, including goals for things like being able to move out (as was the plan last fall), returning to full time work, and walking well enough that he can begin to think about playing extracurricular activities. If you see him out and about, engage him, encourage him, and expect to laugh!

To God be ALL of the glory for what He has done, all that He is in the midst of doing, and all that He has yet to reveal through Bradie’s story!