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FightingIrish

(2,716 posts)
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 06:28 PM Jun 2012

Sometimes good news makes you cry

Last edited Mon Jun 18, 2012, 07:11 PM - Edit history (1)

A few years ago we were told by some very well credentialed doctors that our son would never walk again. He had been beaten and robbed on a fraternity pledge outing in San Francisco during the first quarter of his freshman year. He was left with severe spinal cord damage, a badly broken pelvis, a shattered elbow and a collapsed lung. Never one to quit, he was back in school by spring term and started fighting his way back. He spent two years in a wheelchair but managed to walk up to receive his diploma.

Since the first of February, he has been teaching English, physics and math in Italy. Today I got an email that he had just returned from three days in Gran Paradiso Park in the Italian Alps. During his stay he hiked around Lake Ceresole and climbed to the summit at Colle Nivolet. He was more excited about the friends he had met and the wildlife he had seen than he was about doing something doctors said he could never do. An email from your kid should not make you cry but this one did.

45 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Sometimes good news makes you cry (Original Post) FightingIrish Jun 2012 OP
Hell, your OP made me cry. Of course an email sufrommich Jun 2012 #1
Exact words I was thinking. JNelson6563 Jun 2012 #19
Ditto those^^^ OriginalGeek Jun 2012 #44
How wonderful. GentryDixon Jun 2012 #2
Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Jun 2012 #3
Thank you for sharing. Your good news brought tears to my eyes. Raster Jun 2012 #4
Nice post and a great kid tularetom Jun 2012 #5
That is such a happy story. Glad your son is doing well now. n/t RebelOne Jun 2012 #6
I've got tears in my eyes too. Brigid Jun 2012 #7
Best New Thing in the World Today. aquart Jun 2012 #8
Now I'm crying too. Congratulations to your son and to you, parent. yardwork Jun 2012 #9
Tears etherealtruth Jun 2012 #10
An amazing story of human resilience is always good to hear siligut Jun 2012 #11
You have a GREAT son,... MarianJack Jun 2012 #12
Yes it does and I am crying rurallib Jun 2012 #13
What am amazing story. revolution breeze Jun 2012 #14
I'm so happy for your son and you. panader0 Jun 2012 #15
It's wonderful to get some great news! Hope he continues to beat the odds. juajen Jun 2012 #16
k&r n/t RainDog Jun 2012 #17
DAMN! This was so uplifting to read.... so proud of your son.... secondwind Jun 2012 #18
We Irish NEVER GIVE UP JNelson6563 Jun 2012 #20
You're right...they never give up. Auntie Bush Jun 2012 #24
Yeah, I thought I might make it long enough for evaporation to clear my eyes Thor_MN Jun 2012 #35
heh JNelson6563 Jun 2012 #45
Good for your son. You taught him to fight the good fight! nt msanthrope Jun 2012 #21
Yes it does Omaha Steve Jun 2012 #22
Thank you for posting this Lucy Goosey Jun 2012 #23
Wow. That is just wonderful. nolabear Jun 2012 #25
Beautiful Timbuk3 Jun 2012 #26
Oh yeah!!! evilhime Jun 2012 #27
Made my night. Now I can go to sleep with a smile on my face riderinthestorm Jun 2012 #28
Kicked with joy. emilyg Jun 2012 #29
Tears of joy! sabrina 1 Jun 2012 #30
Ya know there's not a dry eye here now. turtlerescue1 Jun 2012 #31
Thank you. russ1943 Jun 2012 #32
OH YEAH!!! calimary Jun 2012 #33
Great news! cate94 Jun 2012 #34
What a great email he sent you! Bluzmann57 Jun 2012 #36
That's wonderful! lillypaddle Jun 2012 #37
Very understandable. sinkingfeeling Jun 2012 #38
K and R ~ thanks for sharing - this made our day N/T goclark Jun 2012 #39
And makes your peers cry libodem Jun 2012 #40
Thanks for sharing Rosa Luxemburg Jun 2012 #41
An email from your son made you cry...... tpsbmam Jun 2012 #42
Fantastic! Great news! and I want that teaching job in Italy heh . . . nt MrTwister Jun 2012 #43

Raster

(20,996 posts)
4. Thank you for sharing. Your good news brought tears to my eyes.
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 06:41 PM
Jun 2012

Congratulations to your son. Bless your hearts.

yardwork

(61,418 posts)
9. Now I'm crying too. Congratulations to your son and to you, parent.
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 07:02 PM
Jun 2012

Thank you for this wonderful and uplifting thread.

etherealtruth

(22,165 posts)
10. Tears
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 07:05 PM
Jun 2012

“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love.” Washington Irving

Without doubt ... your tears were messengers of unspeakable love.

siligut

(12,272 posts)
11. An amazing story of human resilience is always good to hear
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 07:14 PM
Jun 2012

Thank you for an inspirational story and best wishes for your son.

panader0

(25,816 posts)
15. I'm so happy for your son and you.
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 07:25 PM
Jun 2012

I just became an empty nester about a week ago when the last of three moved to Alaska for a welding job. (he's 19)
It doesn't take much for me to get misty about my kids, especially after a coupla beers.
Your son did something in overcoming his beating that few could do, and something by climbing to that summit that few could do.
"smiling and misting"

evilhime

(326 posts)
27. Oh yeah!!!
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 11:33 PM
Jun 2012

Thanks! So good to have a feel good story, even if it did make me tear up!!!! Good on you and him!!!!

 

riderinthestorm

(23,272 posts)
28. Made my night. Now I can go to sleep with a smile on my face
Mon Jun 18, 2012, 11:42 PM
Jun 2012

Hugs to all of you... so happy its turned out okay.

turtlerescue1

(1,013 posts)
31. Ya know there's not a dry eye here now.
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 12:24 AM
Jun 2012

And I'm sobbing, and the pure joy of HIS excitement versus your's. Love it

Bluzmann57

(12,336 posts)
36. What a great email he sent you!
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 08:45 AM
Jun 2012

Why wouldn't it make you weep tears of joy? Sounds like a tough hombre and a great young man to boot. You should be proud.

tpsbmam

(3,927 posts)
42. An email from your son made you cry......
Tue Jun 19, 2012, 05:23 PM
Jun 2012

hell, I can barely see the screen......it's suddenly gotten all blurry....

Your OP made ME cry, I can't imagine what that email did to you! How frigging AWESOME!



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