“I didn’t even feel it,” Shaun said. “It was like watching a movie.”
“You were in shock,” Sarah said. “As his mom, I’m still in shock, but Shaun adapted. He only cried once, and that was when he saw my concern for him.”
“But I did struggle with it, Mom. I just didn’t let you see.”
I had intended to privately ask about the impact of this injury on the family, but Andy jumped in with more details. “Shaun’s recovery was difficult. He had a hard time with the new prosthetic hand and felt guilty for having done something wrong.”
“Every night,” Sarah said, “Andy and I reminded Shaun that no matter what, he was resilient, and his ability to adapt and bounce back would make him stronger than other people. I had to tell myself that, too, especially when I prayed.”
“I was just a kid,” Shaun continued, “and I realized that my favorite things on my shelf and in my yard—motorcycles, airplanes, electronic games, my bike, and my kid cars—all required some kind of mechanical handling I couldn’t perform with one hand. I felt angry, then sad, but I knew that there could be a way around it.
“My mom and dad, if you can’t already tell, are good people who gave me the spiritual fortitude I needed to combat the hopelessness I sometimes let myself feel. Since the age of ten, I’ve had a series of prosthetic hands, each one better than the last. I always have something new to look forward to, and I’m gaining new learning experiences and a bit more dexterity with each new fake hand. How many other people can say that about their real right hand?”
The four of us sat in the dining room and talked for over an hour. During that time, I learned from my new neighbors about Shaun’s life after the accident. Knowing that Shaun needed to have a passion for something that would bolster his emotional resilience and allow him to adapt to his prosthesis, Sarah looked for ways to keep him occupied, happy, and thinking about things beyond himself.
But Andy, a religious man, spent much time in conversation with Shaun about following in his footsteps and becoming a devoted Christian. Andy talked about how physical joys were important, but only as they aided to the business of heaven. His aim was for Shaun to dedicate himself to doing the Father’s will so he wouldn’t feel hurt when the lack of a natural arm and hand prevented his dreams from coming true. Shaun was not yet sold, so Andy adopted a new approach.
Read the rest of Shaun’s success story in the book, The Quiet Rich: Ordinary People Reawakening an American Dream.
Kevin J. Palmer, Author
