I was going to write about a job that I had. I was going to write about the bad lands in North Dakota, and how they took my breath away. About how I got the chance to see a rattle snake in the wild ( I was terrified in the back seat of a truck while a park ranger brushed it off the road.... with his hat... ballsy) I was going to tell of another betrayal that led to me decide to go out on my own, and owning that choice,,,
I, however, am not going to do that. I got distracted. I got distracted because I have the chance to hang out with my buddy Alex this week. Alex is one of my personal hero's. It is impossible to be depressed around Alex, his smile is infections. His demeanor is one of grace, there is no other word to describe it. Life has thrown Alex a few curve balls, he has taken the hits in stride and continues to thrive. There is nothing that can hold him down or hold him back. The strength that he holds in his mind, spirit, and character are unmatched and make him the strongest person I know.
I have know Alex for some time. We actually met because he dated someone I was dating. We met at a Homecoming dance, of all places. He was nice enough, but I was threatened. He was from another town and I was sure I would never see him again.
Fate had other plans. Months later my brother and I would open the board shop. We started meeting people from around the area, Alex was in the circle of friends that I was most drawn to. We started hanging out at the same parties. I was no longer with the girl we had both dated, so I was no longer threatened, and she quickly became a reason to bond. He started coming to the shop to hang out. We would play video games in the back, or go long boarding along the beach. The summer ended and he went off to college, but we stayed in touch. when he would come home he would get a hold of me. It felt like true friendship. He always wanted to catch up, insisting to know everything that was new in my life. It was and is hard to lie to Alex, and he was not, and is not, afraid to tell me where I am making or have made a mess of my life. He doesn't do this to judge, he does it because he cares.
Ten years ago something happened that would change Alex's life forever. It is a night, that I am sure, he thinks about everyday. It was not a small change, it was a life shattering, change everything you thought you knew, have to learn everything over, kind of change. He was on a dock and his hat blew into the water. Being familiar with the lake, and being a ways out on the dock he dove in after it... we had not gotten a lot of rain that year, and the lake was low. He went head first into less than 20 inches of water, breaking his neck instantly.
He had a friend with him, who jumped in and pulled him back to shore, without a doubt saving his life. An ambulance was called and he was rushed to the hospital. The news was not good, He was quickly transferred to a larger, more capable hospital, and eventually ended up in a hospital out in Colorado that specialized in spinal injuries. His recovery took months. He ended up being paralyzed from the chest down.
I can assure you, that if this had happened to me, I would have given up. I would have screamed out to God, enraged at the hand I had been dealt. I would have been swallowed by self pity, and probably would have drawn into myself, I imagine I would live in a dark room, never wanting to come back out into the light.
This is why Alex is my hero. I remember seeing him when he got back from Colorado. He was all smiles. We sat in his parents garage with some other friends and played cards all night. I think he knew on some level that we were unsure as to what to say to him. It could have been an incredibly awkward night. Alex didn't let that happen. He encouraged us to talk about it, and answered all of our questions with patience and understanding. He even dubbed himself the Quad Father.
Over the years I have watched Alex shoot for the stars. He went back to college, joined a frat, and got involved on campus. He graduated towards the top of his class, and went on to get his masters in mediation. Articles have been written him in Times magazine. As if that was not enough he continued on to an internship out in Washington D,C.
The kid sets goals and just goes for it, without any fear. Holding nothing back he will step into the ring with anyone or anything. I have spent many long nights in that ring, around a fire, or a poker table, discussing life, all aspects. We talk about girls, we talk about God, but our favorite thing to discuss is politics.
We don't enjoy these conversations because we share the same opinions, in fact it is the exact opposite. If you know me, you know know that I am an "independent" but in that independence, I lean pretty far to the right, some might use the word "conservative", There is no doubt that Alex is a red blooded democrat. He believes in the democratic ideals down to his very core. He spends the time to research what he believes in. He gets involved in the political process. He doesn't just swallow information, he analyzes it from all sides, and makes a rational decision. It is a scary prospect to get into one of these debates, because I know going into it that there is a 60% chance that I will lose the argument.
In 2012 he worked on the Obama campaign, and was a large part of the reason that his county went democratic for the first time in years. It was quite the accomplishment. Alex knows what it is to work. As I type this he is running for his county's board of supervisor's, while working full time for the college that he graduated from and loves.
I don't live in his district, but if I did he would have my vote, and I don't take that lightly. Ideologically we disagree about almost everything, Alex is humble but firm in his opinions. He is willing to listen, and not afraid to concede a point, that is something that demands my respect especially in this day and age, where it seems people just want to fight.
What happened to him all those years ago was terrible, there is no other way to describe it. Like I said, I could not imagine spending one day in his shoes, they are far to big for me to fill. Through everything though, Alex continues to smile. There is wisdom in his eyes, he knows what he is capable of, and that is anything he sets his mind to. In a twisted way, losing his body, freed his mind.
I aspire to be like my buddy Alex. I am sure that he will go on to do great things, in fact I don't think the Presidency is to far out of reach. When he is on the cover of every political magazine, or has published multiple books, or helped countless kids through college, or actually becomes President, I will be honored to say that I knew him. To say that I had the opportunity to bask in his light. The absolute best thing about Alex is this though: If all that does happen, if he does become President, I will always know that he is just phone call away, because above all else, Alex knows how to be a friend, and I am lucky enough to call him one of mine.
-Micah
P.S. If you live in Woodbury County make sure you go vote Nov. 4th. Watters for Woodbury.
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