Recovery for Malaki

As quick as a blink of an eye and several lives are changed forever. Next month I was going home on leave to talk to my nephew about his future and what path he planned to take. I was going to talk to him about joining the military and take him to see an activity duty recruiter and national guard recruiter to explore his options, so he could see what was out there and available to him.

My nephew is 18 years young, with a whole lifetime ahead of him to fulfill his dreams. On 12 November, 2020 he was on his way to the store to get medicine for his baby sister when he was involved in a horrible motorcycle accident which has left him paralyzed from the belly bottom down. I have questioned “why” so many times already. WHY and HOW would God let something like this happen? Then I turn around and thank God that it wasn’t worse and thank him for my nephew being alive. So many unanswered questions already. He has made it out of one surgery already, with plates and screws now in his back and neck. Thankful he was wearing a helmet and sustained no head injury, the helmet was cracked. 18 years old and he will never walk again, never be able to do so many things that a young man should experience.

I’m mad inside, I’m sad inside, at the same time I’m thankful. I’m trying to take positive things out of this situations. He loves playing basketball, so I’ve already started looking up wheelchair basketball leagues and other things that he will still be able to do around the Pittsburgh, PA and surrounding area. It may be early, but I need him to look at positives as much possible throughout this whole thing. His life has changed forever but he still deserves to have as much fun as possible. I can’t wait to get back that way to see him, to make him laugh, to see him smile, to let him know things aren’t over and it’s just a new path with great adventures that are ahead for him.