Bill Fahey:
By Kate Smith Inspiration comes in many forms and according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, inspiration is the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions. To Michelangelo, it was the blank canvas of the alter wall at the Sistine Chapel that moved him to paint “The Last Supper;“ one of the most recognized and wellknown works in the world. To Michael Jordan, it was perhaps the action of being cut from his basketball team in 10th grade that drove him to be, to some, the best basketball player in history. And to the staff of Helping Hands Personal Care, it was a man who just wanted to go to church. A man that unbeknownst to them, would change their lives forever. Most have never heard of Bill Fahey. He is not a renowned painter or a famous basketball player. He is a man that is a veteran of the armed forces and had made his living working on horse farms until he retired, yet his love of horses and horse parks has never changed. He has never married and his children are 2 beloved Labradors. Bill’s very normal, fulfilling, day-to-day life, changed March 10, 2010, when normal took a backseat and Lou Gehrig’s Disease(ALS) called shotgun. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,“ affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed and eventually pass away. Bill was shocked and devastated. He became depressed and angry. There was a flood of ‘Why me’s’ and ‘Not fair’s.‘ However, Bill’s fun-loving nature would not allow him to stay sad for long. Neither would his faith in God and the love of his dear friends Bob and Cathy. Having no family near to him, without this pair, June 2013
A Story of Life, Love and Lou-Gehrig Bill would not have anyone outside of medical professionals to rely on. And even though they are not blood relatives, they are most definitely family. Bill says, “I put God first. Then all the people that are looking after me and caring for me…[They] make all the difference in the world and I owe them everything!“ As the disease progressed, Bill became unable to effectively care for himself and rather than placing the soul burden on his dearest friends, he made the humbling decision to check into a nursing facility. Bob and Cathy visited regularly and would take him to see his dogs and to dinner and the movies. Although grateful to them for taking him out of the facility on numerous occasions, his one wish was to go to church on Sundays. Unfortunately, the two were members of a different church and were unable to take Bill to his. The nursing facility could not take him either as they were not equipped to provide services outside the facility. Soon, both of Bill’s arms became paralyzed and the outings slowed down drastically. It became increasingly difficult for Bob and Cathy to move Bill from the wheelchair, to the car and from the car to the wheelchair. It was a painstaking process for all involved. Then an outside care provider was called in to assist , and for whatever reason, either liability issues or from lack of clinical ability, they couldn‘t get Bill to church either.
For months, Bill was very limited in the amount of outings he was able to take and was unable to visit his dogs, whom he missed terribly. Yet still, all he really wanted more than anything was just to go to church on Sunday. Bill was becoming a prisoner of his own body. Enter, Diana Williamson, A.R.N.P and Clinical Director and Daniell Fulk, the Client Service Coordinator of Helping Hands Personal Care. Two women who received a plea for help from Bill and Bob and Cathy and who answered with compassion, care and love and helped release Bill from the prison he was in. On one very special Sunday, Diana and Daniell met Bill at his nursing facility. Miraculously, due to their clinical knowledge and determination to
give this man his wish, within 20 minutes, Bill was in the vehicle and on his way to church. This one event, this one man with a terrible disease, would become the catalyst that would change the way Diana and Daniell viewed and lived their lives, both personally and professionally.
For over a year now, Bill has been inspiring everyone at Helping Hands Personal Care and everyone he meets for that matter. Diana and Daniell say, “His spirit of having fun and being the center of attention is most apparent when you are with him. But most of all, you cannot stop laughing and just smiling. And when you leave, you always feel good.” Bill’s spirit is infectious. He has every reason to hate the world and instead, he embraces his fate. He has a positive attitude and a smile on his face no matter what. Bill definitely embraces his disease. And in the process of doing so, has inspired so many lives. He is a force of positivity, love and determination. He was supposed to be gone two years ago. However, there is a reason he is still here. A reason that this story is being written and a reason that you are reading it. Perhaps, Bill’s story has been perfectly designed and that “chance” phone calls and “chance” meetings aren’t chance at all. When it comes right down to it, even though Bill is paralyzed and needs the help of many to get around, Bill is actually the one helping and inspiring faith and hope and love in the hearts of all who meet him. THAT is his legacy. Not the disease. What Bill would like everyone to know is this: “No matter what obstacles you have to face in life, you have a choice. Either face it head on and embrace what happens to you, or let it overcome you.” Bill has a disease that he didn’t choose. But the disease doesn’t have him. 27