A London Tale

I vividly remember the day I met Correy, he was six years old and in first grade. I had just arrived home from work and he was playing with our son Grant. I introduced myself to Correy and asked him what his name was, Correy responded, “Cowey” and ran off to play with Grant.  I looked at my wife Louise and asked, “Speech therapy friend?”I have many memories of Correy as a child but I honestly did not know him as a man but I learned much about the adult Correy after I read all the stories written on the various blogs posted on the internet and listening to the stories I heard from his friends and family.

I’ve learned from Correy’s life how much a person can impact peoples’ lives through our everyday interaction with people that we see on a daily basis to those we may only meet one time. After reading literally a hundred accounts of how Correy touched individual lives I began to reflect what type of imprint do I leave in people’s lives, do I leave a memory when I meet someone only once in my lifetime? I’ve wondered if Correy realized just how much he meant to all these people, but I suppose he had no idea just like most of us can’t fathom the ripple effects our actions, good and bad, have on all those around us. I now try everyday to smile and say hello to the clerk in the store, when I’m out on a run I stop to allow cars to pull into parking lots ahead of me and I even try to wave. Recently I saw a patient for another therapist for a one time only visit, there was very little chance I would ever see her again. She was 94 years old, legally blind with a huge bruise on her right arm from a fall. I performed my usual magic with her - exercise, safety instruction, gait training and showed genuine compassion for her. On my way out the door she called my name with outstretched arms and told me she wanted to give me a hug and she even added a kiss. To be honest that was not the first time I received that kind of a reaction from a patient but it was the first time I truly realized the affect I can have on another person’s life. For this I thank Correy.

I’ve learned from Correy’s death that I waste too much time doing things that have no meaning or purpose to me-in Correy’s brief time he learned to have passion for diving and realized what he truly wanted to accomplish in his life. I think about the tattoo on Joe’s wrist about having 30 days to live and I remind myself daily that there is no time, this may be my last day to try something new or to talk with a friend or to hit a perfect drive. So I called a friend and I’m going to learn to play the guitar, I’ve picked up the phone and called friends and family I’ve should have called sooner-I think a few fell out of their chairs- and I’ve been playing more golf as it is something I feel passion for: I even hit some long drives but not the perfect one! For this I thank Correy

I now start each day watching the video created by Correy’s cousin Michael to remind me that I have no time; I must make my impact today as I may not have tomorrow to accomplish it. I tell my family that I love them and am trying to spend more quality time with them. I stop to appreciate that I do make a difference in this world and I am learning to feel the joy that comes with helping others. On the day that I take my final breath it is my fervent hope that I can say that I lived my life to the fullest and I understood the affect my life had on the people I have met. For this I thank Correy.

“So may the sunshine bring hope where it once was forgotten…Sons are like birds flying always over the mountains.”

Michael London