Most people who went to high school with me never knew that when I was in 7th grade; My life changed due to I went paralyzed & was told I would never walk again.

It was approximately a week after 3 8th graders tripped me when I was passing them in a race. One of the kids pushed me down. A week after this I was at home watching T.V. when a sharp pain went through my body. From head to toe my body hurt and I fell to the floor and couldn't get up. The only one home that day was my Father who was sleeping. I had to use my hands to drag my limp body to him. I was scared, crying and in pain. He called the ambulance and we went to the hospital. That day in the hospital; I was told I would never walk again. In fact they were surprised I walked when I did with the injury I had. (Blood cuts in the spinal cord with 1 internally bleeding.) I prayed to God that I would be a good person & that I would make a difference, and please let me walk. That day in the hospital I started walking. The doctors said it was impossible that I could walk. I told them I prayed to God… therefore I’m walking. The doctors said it must be a glitch & by the age of 17-18 for sure I will be in a wheelchair.

Going back to school. I didn’t want anyone to know of this. My life changed at that moment. Girls I liked in school; I stopped acting like I liked them. And girls that liked me: I would act stupid like I didn’t know what they were talking about. I remember sitting at a table with 2 girls in 8^th grade and one of them wrote something about me on a desk table. Later I looked to see what she wrote. It said “Cute” … It made me very happy, but sad. I love people. I do not want to hurt anyone. Every time I thought of dating. I pictured myself in a wheelchair with her sadly pushing me. (Because of me, her life is destroyed; is how I felt.)

I think I hurt a lot of girl’s feelings with out even trying to. I feel real bad for how I left some girls hanging when this 1^st happened to me in 7^th grade. One day hitting on them… the next day. Cold fish. (I bet they were confused. I was)

I went from outgoing to hermit over night. It took my great friend Brian to get me back out of the shell I was hiding in. Then in high school; Amy asked me to Tolo; but I was going to be good, and tell her I only like her as a friend, so I don’t hurt her. I was told I was an a__whole for that. What!… Girls go to dances with guys all the time and do the same to the guy…. What’s different? (I do not see how.) So the next girl named Theresa that asked me to Tolo I told her I didn’t have any money for the tux. She told me she would pay for it. I still said no. Her father told me, “That I really hurt her.” Again I was an a__whole. So When Senior Prom came along I had more female friends then male friends. And I already heard many of them were hinting of whom was I going to ask to the prom. I didn’t want to hurt any of their feelings. So I asked I girl that I had in one of my classes: that I really didn’t know. She said, “No!” so I didn’t go… But I felt at the time it would be better not to go then to hurt someone. (To anyone in High School that I hurt: I’m Sorry.)

I was already 18 years old and still walking. I always had female friends. But I have a female friend who I have to thank. She was one of the few people I told my secret to. Her name was Manami. She was my 1^st girlfriend, I called “My girl friend.” I found it funny I would go out with, or know many different girls that would say I’m their boyfriend. (2 at the same party sometimes) But I never called them my girlfriend. Manami was the 1^st person I ever called my special someone. She was the one that opened my fear of being in a relationship and going into a wheelchair. She accepted me for who I was, I understood what I couldn’t do, but did anyway. She would protect me from lifting heavy items. And she would always make me feel like I can do it, so others wouldn’t look down on me. She never treated me like I was handicapped in front of people. Today Manami and I are still friends. She was invited to our wedding by both my Wife: Masumi and I. I thank God for her in my life. (Thank you Manami. To anyone in my college years I hurt, I’m Sorry.)

Masumi who is now my wife is the 3^rd girl to propose to me. Again the fear of “The man in the wheelchair.” “Married” … then divorced. Man losses everything in a divorce even if the wife is the cheater, the drunk, the drug abuser and of course the woman could never be guilty of any sexual abuse. Only a man can be. So In this world were only the fat kid & the skinny kid can play on the titter-totter & never can any two kids the same weight (Fair) play on the titter-totter… No! I didn’t want to get married. My idea of marriage is way different then most people’s view of marriage today. 1. I think marriage is a religious thing only. If you’re not religious… Then do not get married. 2. Marriage is none of the government’s business. It is a contract between God, Man & Woman. Every one else can get tide or hitched, or partnered together. (But if you don’t believe in a God, Don’t say, or put God in the equation and get married … doesn’t make any sense.) Both the Man & Woman are equal to each other. He lifts her, she lifts him & they both look up to God to bless them. / I want to be married one time, her & I become 1 in God’s eye’s … so I wanted to make sure it would be one time.

I met Masumi in June of 1991 on my birthday. Edmond’s community college had set up a surprise birthday party for me at the orientation. So Masumi used the birthday as a way to get to know me better. (She told me her secret….) Masumi is a sweet and caring person. She has been there with me thick and thin. She even did window painting with me. Both of us would draw, paint and make up new pictures together. When my health has been getting worse, she has been there for me. She endorse a lot for me. Just before we were married. I had to go to the hospital. I was very ill. For the 1^st time my friend Dan heard it from the doctor how bad my health is. He told me he had to leave to just cry. He never know I was that bad, because he knows me as a fighter. I will try my best to keep up with the best of them. (The fastest, the strongest.) And I will try my best. So he never knew how much pain I was hiding inside till he heard the doctor talking about it. But Masumi can see me, and knows even though I’m smiling… I’m hiding my pain inside. And she is always there for me. But she does everything in a way to make me feel strong. If she picks up the bag first at a store... Don’t ask me why. But it seems to be white women for some reason that have to say, “Why don’t you have him carry that for you?” or something in this matter… but Masumi smiles and says. “No I want to. It’s my work out.” (Must keep in shape.) Going back to that day in the hospital. Masumi was at my bedside with tears in her eyes. She said, “I do not care if you are in a wheelchair. I will be with you. I love you very much. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to marry you.” This, my friends; is what marriage is all about. Anyone can take a female dog and male dog and put them together to have sex. But can you have those same dogs eat out of the same dog dish? (This is the question most humans of today should be asking before they have sex.)

I love “love stories” (“Can’t buy me love”, “Some kind of Wonderful” , “Just My Luck” , So on) , but I have to say; there really is only one true love story out there that I have ever seen. That is “Note Book” (If you never seen this… watch it…Man or woman & if it doesn’t touch you: Then you are most likely an insect or an alien either one or dead; with out feelings. And if you do not have any feelings; I do not recommend you really going out with other people unless you tell them that first. So they are aware of you as a heartless person & then the only ones you will get is your own kind. Just my suggestion - LOL)

At my wedding… Yozef, Ray, Dan, Grant (Couldn’t make it due 2 mountain pass storm) were my Best men (I didn’t have any groomsmen, Just all were best men and shared in passing of the ring. Kristin, Amber, Bernadette were the maids of honor. (Again no brides maids, just maids of honor) and Narita was the flower girl. We had a great wedding. It was a poor man’s wedding, for no credit card was used. But it was a rich wedding with everything beautiful given by God.

Masumi & I known each other since June 19th 1991 and were married Nov 4^th 2006 – We will be having our 4^th anniversary soon, I have been off work with out pay since Aug due to more health issues and not sure when back or ever back to work. But we have been taken care of all this time. Prayer has been working. We have made, Aug, Sept and Oct bills. We were in this same boat last month with out any money to pay our $1,700 mortgage and $400 car payment plus the other bills, but God gave us the gifts to get our bills paid. My last doctor check up on my stroke issues and kidney issues have been improved. I’m praying God will bless my friends, family and I with a miracle. Please pray for us as well. (God Bless you too.)