Tackling Grayson’s Next Challenge

Grayson Willis, a Barnesville, Ohio native and an eternal optimist, has been defying the odds since birth. He was diagnosed with cancer at 9 months old, and again at 22 months. Grayson endured chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He was not expected to survive.

Grayson has always been willing to offer his story to help as he has participated in bringing awareness and raising funds for cancer all of his life.

Grayson loved his school days in Barnesville. Even though he was not physically able to endure playing football, he found his place by being the equipment manager for Barnesville High School football team. This is his passion that he looked forward to. It was the highlight of his week, as he balanced school and a part time job.

Grayson’s optimism, ambition and drive would sustain him later in life, as more health complications attempted to derail his plans. Grayson enrolled at OHIO Eastern in the fall of 2014 to study Exercise Physiology, later changing his major to Sport and Lifestyle Studies. The following fall, he developed stroke-like symptoms and was found to have a brain tumor and subsequent brain bleed. An MRI found it to be a non-cancerous, benign meningioma, which was surgically removed though a craniotomy and replacement of the brain lining. Just before leaving the hospital three days later, another meningioma was discovered on the left side of his brain which doctors elected to keep an eye on. Months of rehab followed. 

While he had to drop a few classes, Grayson was determined to continue his education and successfully completed a half course load.  

Three years went by and Grayson received a clean bill of health, the second meningioma showing no signs of growth. But in October 2018, he was taken to the emergency room for worsening flu-like symptoms that turned out to be meningitis. While in the hospital, he suffered a seizure that left him unresponsive for several days. He was intubated and put on a ventilator. It was unknown if he would regain consciousness. 

Yet, he pressed forward.

Grayson awoke after several days and was eventually weaned off the ventilator. Unfortunately, he had to withdraw from his courses and would not return the following semester either. Instead, his time was spent in rehab re-learning how to walk due to nerve damage and re-learning how to talk due to partial vocal cord paralysis.

While Grayson was able to resume classes in the fall of 2019, he again contracted meningitis and was hospitalized for nearly a month that December. But he never missed a class and resumed his full schedule the following spring.

January 2020 brought its own complications — basal cell carcinoma on his scalp caused from the brain radiation he had as a baby. Treatment is ongoing.

Yet, he pressed forward.

Grayson began special driving lessons at Marietta Memorial Hospital to become licensed with using hand controls since the nerve damage in his leg would not allow foot use on the pedals. 

During the fall 2020 semester, Grayson fell and a broken hip was misdiagnosed for three weeks. Due to the delay in the diagnosis, surgery was not an option. But he endured with only Ibuprofen for pain management.

Despite all these setbacks, I have never heard Grayson complain or ask for special treatment.Grayson graduated in December 2020 from Ohio University Eastern with a Bachelor Degree in Sports and Lifestyle Studies. He has not been able to start his career due to his inability work. 

As Grayson’s mom, I am humbly asking for help for HIM. Grayson has not left the house independently for three years now. He has overcome every hurdle to be able to drive again and became a licensed driver with hand modifications. His main struggle now is getting a car with the hand modifications.

Unfortunately, Grayson cannot work currently due to his health conditions AND he has been denied disability twice. We are in the midst of waiting on another disability hearing date, which could be another year. So, with all of that being said, it is hard to see Grayson be in our home day after day, with no way to leave the house or have a life. I am praying for an answer as I ask for help with Grayson getting a vehicle PSALM 121! I am truly grateful!

Sincerely,

Angie (Gray) Willis

Grayson’s mom