YOUR HELP NOW MORE THAN EVER.
ARE YOU READY TO GET OUT OF THIS ROOM?
ARE YOU READY TO GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE?
THIS IS THE ONLY WAY SETH DRYER CAN COMMUNICATE, HE CAN’T TALK, HE CAN’T LIFT HIS ARMS, OR MOVE HIS BODY, HIS MIND IS FULLY FUNCTIONING, BUT HE’S TRAPPED INSIDE A PARALYZED BODY AND HAS
NO OTHER WAY TO COMMUNICATE, JUST WITH HIS EYES.
>> ALL HIS PLANS, ALL HIS DREAMS, THEY’RE JUST GONE.
HE CAN’T DO ANYTHING THAT HE PLANNED TO DO.
SHEREE: THE ONLY THING MO HEARTBREAKING FOR HIS MOTHER THAN TO WATCH HER SON STRUGGLE TO MOVE AND TALK IS THE MEMORY OF WHO HER SON WAS JUST 15-MONTHS AGO.
>> HE LATCHED ON TO 7-8 BUDDIES IN THAT LOW BRASS SECTION AND ALL OF THEM BECAME JOKESTERS.
SHEREE: SETH WAS A SOPHOMORE AT DEERPARK HIGH SCHOOL, AND FOUND HIS PASSION, PLAYING THE BARITONE WITH THE MARCHING BAND.
>> HE AND HIS BUDDIES WERE EXCELLENT MUSIC PRODUCERS, BECAME EXCELLENT MARCHERS AND IT WAS DEVASTATING WHEN WE LOST THAT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
SHEREE: IT HAPPENED ALMOST OVER NIGHT.
ONE DAY SETH WAS HERE.
THE NEXT HE WAS GONE.
>> HE’S FRIGHTENED, HE’S SCARED, HE IS FREAKING OUT BECAUSE HE CANNOT SWALLOW.
SHEREE: IT STARTED WITH A SORE THROAT.
BUT WITHIN HOURS OF BEING ADMITTED TO CHILDRENS HOSPITAL, SETH WAS BEING RUSHED INTO THE ICU.
>> BY THAT TIME HE COULD BARELY MOVE ANYTHING HE COULD JUST GIVE THUMBS UP AND HE COULD MOVE HIS EYES, AND THE LAST THING HE SAID BEFORE THEY PUT THE TUBES IN HE SAID I LOVE YOU.
BEFORE THAT DAY WAS OVER HE WAS COMPLETELY PARALYZED SHEREE: FOR MONTHS DOCTORS DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HIM.
FINALLY THE CDC CONFIRMED HE HAS ACUTE FLACCID MYELITIS.
A CONDITION SO RARETHERE HAVE ONLY BEEN 28 CONFIRMED CASES IN THE U.S. THIS YEAR.
>> HE SAID I DO NOT DESERVE THIS.
SHEREE: THAT ONE SENTENCE SETH WAS ABL TO UTTER HAUNTS HIS FATHER EVERY DAY.
>> HE SAID I DO NOT DESERVE THIS.
SHEREE: FINALLY, AFTER A YEAR IN THE HOSPTIAL A SMALL VICTORY , SETH IS FINALLY HOME.
BUT HE’S NOT ONLY TRAPPED IN HIS BODY NOW HE’S TRAPPED IN HIS HOUSE.
THESE DOORS WERE INSTALLED JUST TO GET SETH’S BED, IN AND OUT OF HIS BEDROOM, THERE’S NO LIVING ROOM FURNITURE JUST BOXES AND BOXES OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
AND THEY CAN’T TAKE HIM ANYWHERE BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE TRANSPORTATION, THAT’S WHERE HIS DEERPARK FAMILY IS STEPPING IN.
>> THEY ARE NEVER GOING TO BE FORGOTTEN, AS LONG AS THERE IS AN EFFORT TO BE MADE, WE WILL NOT FORGET THEM.
SHEREE: ALL WEEK THE HIGH SCHOOL AND LOCAL RESTAURANTS ARE HOLDING FUNDRAISERS HOPING TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY TO GET SETH A HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE VAN >> THIS IS FIVE TIMES A DAY THAT
WE DO THIS.
SHEREE: FOR HIS PARENTS AND BIG BROTHER WHO’VE BECOME FULL TIME CARETAKERS.
THEY ARE GRATEFUL FOR EVERY GIFT, A WHEEL CHAIR RAMP, NEW DRIVEWAY HOME REPAIRS, THEY CAN’T AFFORD.
BUT WHAT THEY WANT MOST IS YOUR PRAYERS.
>> DON’T GIVE UP.
DON’T GIVE UP.
DON’T GIVE UP HOPE.
PEOPLE GET BETTE MIRACLES HAPPEN EVERY DAY.
THEY DO.
I SEE SMALL ONES.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR A BIG ONE.
SHEREE: UNTIL THAT HAPPENS SETH WILL SETTLE FOR A SMALL ONE.
GOING TO A MOVIE WOULD MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE TO THIS 17-YEAR-OLD WHO JUST WANTS TO TRY AND LIVE AGAIN.
I BET YOU ARE READY.
MIKE ABSOLUTELY HEARTBREAKING.
ARE THEY HOLDING OUT ANY HOPE AT ALL FOR A PHYSICAL COME BACK?
SHEREE: MENTALLY, HE IS ALL THERE, STILL TAKING CLASSES AND DOING SCHOOL WORK, BUT IT IS THE PHYSICAL THING.
HE WAS GAINING SOME STRENGTH IN HIS LEGS AND THEN HE HAD A SETBACK.
WITH THIS DISEASE, THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES, BUT THEY ARE HOPEFUL.
SHEREE: -- MIKE: HOW CAN PEOPLE HELP?
SHEREE: THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU WANT TO ASK FOR MONEY.
THEY COULD USE IT.
DEERPARK HAS RAISED $22,000, THE GOAL IS $100,000 TO BUY THAT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE VAN.
YOU CAN LOOK FOR THE DRYER’S JOURNEY GO-FUND-ME PAGE, WE ALSO HAVE A LINK FOR IT ON OUR WEBSITE WLWT