The last few weeks have been a bit overwhelming for Nicole’s parents, in great ways and hard ways as well. All emotionally, Nicole is better each day than the day before. So that’s all good. This Sunday is the All So Famous Fundraiser in Tuolumne County that our Best Friends and Family have busted their butts for, so Nicole can have the very best when we bring her home. It is so wonderful, we have seen all the one’s that love us and our daughter, step up to the plate. It is always known that’s what we all do with the one’s we love. What isn’t known…the strangers that step up too. I was on a bus in San Francisco, holding some of the fliers for the fundraiser, didn’t realize they were “Word side out”, a lady asked if I was putting on a fundraiser while she was walking by getting off the bus, I said “No, but my family and friends are” as I said it, she stuffed a $20. bill in my pocket so fast that I didn’t even get to thank her..she was off the bus. Some friends had our son at the frosty in Jamestown, when he came home he handed me a $20. bill and said a lady gave it to him after he said “There’s my sisters poster again!!” she told him she wasn’t going to make it to the fundraiser but to “Please give this to your mom.” At my office the other day, there was a plain, white envelope that said “To The Kolpack’s” I opened it…there were five one dollar bills in it. $5. A stranger gave us $5., if that doesn’t touch you, nothing ever will. For 27 years i’ve busted my butt with my husband and our business so that “Someday” my husband could kick back a little. He’s older than me and the fact that he’d had a couple of hard knocks in his life and lost a son to a car accident all before I met him made me wanna do nice things for his life. The few weeks before Nicole’s accident, was that “Someday” It didn’t last long, but we did get to feel it and I was very proud that I’d helped get him to that point. None of us know what our future will bring, what I was always afraid of was someone dying, this situation was something that never even crossed my mind, I think i’ve learned now what it means when people say “If you have your health, you have everything.” Nicole and Glenn both made me so proud this week. Glenn has several business licenses, several state business licenses, a drivers license that covers him operating vehicles, motorcycles, and big rigs. He operates any type of heavy equipment or machinery you stick in front of his face. He’s a private pilot, and takes many un-required classes to challenge himself in the field every year, he has to pass several physicals and flying tests for that every so often as well. He called me this week from SF and I’ve never heard his voice so enthusiastic…!!!! He was beaming when he explained to me that the physical therapist had trained him and he now has his own “license” to take Nicole for a walk all by himself. Yep, they’re on the loose! She still needs minimal physical assistance to walk…but I know with him at her side, it won’t be long. On Sunday, Nicole and I were at a “faith” and positive thinking group. There were probably about 15 patents and about 7 or so others, family members, counselors, preacher, therapists, etc. I let her and her therapist go in for the first little while on their own, then as I was walking down the hall I saw through the opened door before I went in…I stopped in my tracks because my daughter was speaking in front of the entire group moving her arms around and looking at each of the people, strangers in the group. I was too far away to hear what she was saying, and I don’t know how all of it came out because when she has a lot to say, usually a lot of it will tend to roll and blend together, but Nicole was putting her point across. I saw courage in that strong little girl that most of us adults don’t have. I waited, I didn’t want to interfere or mess up her train of thought, a few minutes after she was done, I went in and sat down next to her wheel chair quietly…and felt her hand reach down to grab mine…Then, together, we both listened to others. We met a lady from the Sacramento area that was just admitted to the rehab center, we 3 introduced ourselves to her and her husband, the lady was telling us that she had been jogging and was hit by a car, she had so many broken bones that she was in a coma for 10 days, and she couldn’t walk. Nicole pointed at her and said “I’ll teach you.” The lady said “Well thank you.” and smiled at Nicole. Nicole looked at her with a very stearn face and pointed to her again and said “No…I’ll teach you… I’ll teach you.” The lady said “I’d like that, as soon as i’m ready, i’d like that” Nicole smiled and said “Ok!” Look forward to seeing all our friends, family, and newfound stranger-friends at the fundraiser! Us Kolpacks will never be able to thank you all enough…Bye
