SermonStudio

Mae is Chris' best friend. Mae would do just about anything for Chris, who grew up down the street from her. Chris is one year older, and he had picked on Mae when she moved into the neighborhood. They were standing at the bus stop, and Mae was looking very nervous. Chris called her a name, feeling very much the smart first grader. But when Chris saw that Mae was crying, he instantly regretted it. He came after school that day and apologized, offering her a race car as a peace offering.

Chris came to Mae's house with his dad. Chris was a gentle soul; his dad knew Chris had to make amends because Chris wouldn't stop talking about making the new girl cry; he was very sorry. And Chris' dad was curious about the new family who had just moved in. Chris and Mae "made up" and went upstairs to play while their dads talked in the living room. They invited each other to their homes and a family--wide friendship started.

When Mae had problems, she ran to Chris' house. When Chris started dating, Mae would "check out" the girls, asking around who they were. One had a reputation, and Mae begged Chris not to go out with her. It would ruin his reputation!

The two were inseparable, as close as brother and sister. They played ice hockey together in the winter, roller bladed during the summer, and were on the phone quite often, even though their houses were only a few doors apart. Chris kept careful watch of Mae at their high school, teasing her about the boys who eyed her. She really was becoming a beautiful young lady. But more importantly, she was good at hockey. Chris and Mae played roller hockey during the summer so Chris could stay in shape. He lived and breathed hockey; he was going to play college hockey - it was his dream and he could feel it in his bones. He was one of the most valuable players on the team, and he felt he had a good chance to get to the university on a hockey scholarship.

It was Chris' sixteenth summer. Mae was all of fifteen, and they were planning to try out a new swimming spot at a lake with a group of their friends. She and Chris were excellent swimmers, and they were excited to go. The lake had a really cool hill that the kids slid down, and rocks jutted out at the top of the small hill. The gang thought it would be fun to jump off.

Sure enough, they were jumping and laughing in no time. Chris called out to Mae and prepared to do a swan dive, making exaggerated theatrical gestures. Mae yelled for him not to dive, but it was too late. Chris had jumped. The world was instantly silent. Time had stopped as Mae waited for Chris to come up. He didn't. It was about two minutes, and she thought maybe he was kidding, but he wasn't the type. He would sooner impress her than scare her. She screamed for everyone to look for Chris.

Chris broke his neck when he hit the lake bottom and lost consciousness under the water. His friends were able to pull him up and an air ambulance took him to a level--one trauma center thirty miles away. His chances were very slim for survival, the doctors said. Mae flew with him and was allowed to stay with him: she had told the doctors she was his sister and the gang had vouched for her. She made the necessary calls and returned to his side. Mae and Chris' parents never left his side those first few days. Chris was put on a respirator, underwent two surgeries, and spent two months in the hospital and seven months in rehab. Chris was in no pain, and he was able to move his head from side to side. Otherwise, he was paralyzed from the neck down.

Chris had to learn to eat again. It's quite a different story when you have to take what is offered to you. The spoon or fork may not be at the right angle or it may go in too deeply. Mae had to learn how to offer him his food, and Chris had to learn how to patiently give instructions that didn't offend people. A rhythm had to be established between breathing, eating, and drinking for Chris. The process took weeks to be successful.

At times during his hospital stay and during therapy in rehab, Chris had to fight depression, anger, sorrow, and denial. Each emotion came and went; it wasn't in a particular order. He was angry that he had jumped. He grieved over the loss of his future in hockey. He hoped maybe this was all a dream and at times believed he would walk again. But he knew better and at times depression would set in. A deep cloud would come over him, and he would have to take time to think and process what had happened to him. There were times when he saw no one and asked for understanding. He needed time to come to terms with God's role in this, with his future and all that had and wouldn't happen to him. It was quite a lot for a sixteen--year--old to handle.

There were times when Mae couldn't take it. She felt left out, shut out of Chris' world. But she knew she had to give him time, and she knew she couldn't step in for him. This was Chris' journey, this was Chris' battle, this was Chris' life. Pray as she might, she knew Chris could never, ever walk again. She would have to deal with it.

Looking back on these events, Chris tries to communicate to his audiences that although he would never wish this upon himself, he gained a deep understanding of life from this experience. He feels very blessed to be able to have had a profound feeling of the presence of God during this ordeal. He recalls sitting for hours in his wheelchair in the hospital, not wanting to see anyone, just thinking quietly, staring out the window at the world below. He knows God was with him. He could feel it. He could feel God's presence when he would cry uncontrollably, when he would struggle to breathe after the respirator was taken off, when he was trying to communicate what he needed to those who took care of him, and when he would see his dearest friend, Mae, crying for Chris.

Chris does not pity himself. He speaks all over the country, sharing how his faith was strengthened and warning children of diving in untested areas. He speaks about the love of a dear friend, the dedication of his family, and the enormous strength he gained from his circle of friends from church and school.

While Mae would have wished that this could all be taken away from Chris, she also sees a different person in that wheelchair: a man who has grown to love God, a man who can still make a room full of people laugh at his jokes, and a man who has a passion for life.