{Karlton Bontrager}

The date July 4 has special meaning for our family beyond Independence Day for the United States. That is the date in 2002 (east of the International Dateline, at least) when Karlton had his snowboarding accident.

The last entry on the website announced Karlton’s seizure in 2004. He had been fortunate not to have any seizures after the traumatic brain injury, and he has been fortunate since then not to have had any more. We have many things to be thankful for.

In the meantime, Karlton has become a serious student. Before the accident, learning came to him easily. In fact, his philosophy of living life to its fullest did not allow time for dedicating himself full-time to studying. There was too much else of life to experience at the same time. Yet he did well academically.

Now the picture has changed. Karlton invests hour after hour in studying. Despite his concerted efforts, he has often had to content himself with low, just-passing to average grades. He continues to have his eye on a degree in Occupational Therapy, and that requires taking anatomy and physiology—two courses that are renowned for being challenging. Yet he has mustered phenomenal social and academic supports to get him through. His advisor at the community college arranged for the people in his study group for the anatomy class to be in the same section of the physiology class the following semester so they could continue the study group. They spent hours studying together, quizzing him on the concepts, and putting up with his outrageous humor. He had the same professor for both courses, and that man was likewise outstanding in his patience, persistence, and good humor.

Karlton has been accepted into an Occupational Therapy Assitant program that begins in September. He’s attempting to get a headstart on the coursework by taking kinesiology this summer. He reports that kinesiology is even more difficult than either anatomy or physiology were. But again he has the benefit of a patient professor and a supportive tutor.

Academics have not been Karlton’s total life. Somehow he manages to get around even though he still cannot drive. He returned to Hamilton College (Clinton, NY) for his five-year reunion, went to New York City to assist in a fraternity induction, and has been to several friends’ weddings this year. He also flies periodically to Los Angeles to be with family and friends there. He completed a training and became certified in medical interpretation. And he’s managed to set up his own pottery studio. After pooling all his resources to buy a wheel, he was able to get an exceptionally good deal on a kiln. His mother had a porch remodeled into a studio, so he’s all set to throw pots again.

Three years after his accident, Karlton continues to be an inspiration and a challenge. His spirits and determination are high despite the limitations in learning and executive functioning that he’s had to grapple with. He has been dismissed from all therapies, and he’s going strong. He aims to become certified in Occupational Therapy so that he can work and live independently again. Who knows, he may end up back in New Zealand again, this time working as an OT at ISIS!