Where's the Silver Lining?

Once a fighter, always a fighter, I hope

One thing in Robert's favor is his determination. He fought adversity from the time he was born, managing to hold on and perservere many times with a joke and a smile. He loves jokes and always has one more to tell.

After he turned twenty-one, and before I knew him, he and some friends built a race car, number 00, to be run on a oval track. Another, older man was to drive, with another to take over if needed. The substitute showed up too late: The starting driver became too tired to continue, and Robert slid into the driver's seat. As he nearly finished one lap of that race, a competitor rear-ended his car, sending it flying into the air and flipping over. Robert tells of looking down and watching the other cars going by under him as he hung upside down.

Number 00 hit the ground; gasoline flowed toward the hot motor; Robert's right hand was caught over his head, a bolt pinning it to the roll bar. Afraid he would be burnt alive, he pulled his hand loose, leaving part of it in the car.

Thankfully, God watched over Robert. When he reached the Liberal, Kansas emergency room, one doctor argued against amputating the rest of his hand. This doctor had worked with injuries on the battle field during WWII and the Korean Conflict and used his knowledge to save what he could of Robert's hand.

Robert's index and middle finger were gone, but the doctor successfully saved the rest, but that struggle took nine months. Another fight won.

The battle had just begun. Robert taught himself to write left-handed after being totally right handed. He went back to Oklahoma State Tech to become a diesel mechanic and fuel injection specialist a year after he left the hospital. He had to find ways of re-doing things such as use tools, but he also used his partial hand as much as possible.

Two weeks before he graduated, we had a daughter. Robert was so proud of that tiny girl. She was "Daddy's girl."

Just another fight won by a man most people never knew was literally scared half to death.

He has surprised the doctors, though. According to them, it's a miracle Robert lasted this long. Thankfully miracles do still happen. And Robert is a fighter.