Our "Gridiron Heroes"

         If you’re a Michigan sports fan, the first half of October was a dream come true. There was a lot happening: the Tigers made the playoffs, there was the instate rivalry between U of M and MSU, and the Lions are winning more games then they’re not. Last week the Lions made their return to Monday night football, beating Chicago they made their record 5-0, undefeated for the first time since 1956. The whole city and state, and all of Special Tree, are excited to see what comes next in Michigan sports.

          Before last Monday nights game (October 10^th), I asked the director of community services Joe, if he has ever seen the Lions playing this good. With laughter he responded, “No, not in my lifetime. Definitely not in my lifetime.” It has been a decade since the Lions last played a Monday night game, which ended poorly. In Joe’s own words, the Lions got “walloped” by the St. Louis Rams 35-0. Joe attended the Monday night game on October 10^th at Ford Field and shared he was looking forward most to the environment and the games excitement and commotion.

          Going into last Monday’s game, the Lions were undefeated with a record of 4-0 and the Bears were 2-2. The Lions had the largest crowd in the history of Ford Field, with 67,861 fans in attendance that helped to cheer them on to a 24-13 victory over the Chicago Bears. The fans were very noisy, rattling the Bears to 9 false starts throughout the game. It was a good team effort by all with the Lions Jahvid Best leading the game in rushing yards, and his teammate Calvin Johnson leading the game in receiving. With this win, the Lions earned a 5-0 record for the first time in over 50 years.

          To get a better understanding of the Lions history, I interviewed a DTS staff member, George, who is a self proclaimed diehard Lions fan for more then 30 years. When asked who his favorite Lions player of all time was, he shared that “hands down it would be the running back Billy Sims.” He gave me two reasons why he was his favorite; first was because Billy Sims was his mom’s favorite player, and also because Billy Sims would motivational talks to his high school football team. George thinks that the most exciting thing about this year’s Lions team is the youth. “When you have youth in all key positions, which means these guys can grow together over the next four to five years.”

          Although the Lions lost yesterdays game against the San Francisco 49ers, the Lions are still proud of their hometown team. For all you sports fans, to get you through the last half of October I’ll leave you with some of my favorite Detroit Lions facts:

1.    The Detroit Lions hosted their first ever Thanksgiving Day game in 1934. 

2.    The Detroit Lions won the NFL Championship in 1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957. 

3.    At one time, soul singer Marvin Gaye tried out for the Detroit Lions but did not make the team. His friendship with Lions players Mel Farr and Lem Barney did lead to them singing backup on his 1971 song “What’s Going On?”

4.    The first Detroit Lion elected to the Hall-of-Fame was Quarterback Dutch Clark.

5.    The Detroit Lions have retired the number 20 jersey to honor former Running Back Barry Sanders. Number 20 was also worn by all-time great Lions Lem Barney (Hall-of-Fame) and Billy Sims.

"Young Adult Programs Are Taking Off"

 

     With or without a traumatic brain injury (TBI), being a young adult is a difficult phase of life. There are so many changes happening and transitions occurring, it's easy to feel lost or to get overwhelmed. When you mix in a TBI on top of everything else in life, trying to stay afloat as a young adult can become much more difficult. Normal activities like going to school, developing a career and even socializing with your peers can become a struggle.

     When doing some research for this article, I looked at the ages of people who have sustained a TBI and I found that individuals between the ages of 15 and 35 years old account for over half of the countries traumatic brain injuries annually. I also learned about the different developmental stages our brain goes through. I didn't know that the brain doesn't enter final stage of development until around the time you turn 18, and it continues until your mid-twenties to late twenties.

     I asked Joe Richert II, who is the Director of Community Services, why the final stage of brain development is so important. He informed me that during this last stage, the areas of your brain in charge of executive functions (like organization and planning) go through a huge growth spurt. Joe explained to me that when "someone suffers a brain injury hitting these developmental milestones becomes very challenging to an individual, especially without the appropriate supports."

       After talking to Joe and Joyce Z., who is the manager of the Young Adult Program, I felt extremely lucky. I feel like they designed this program especially for me and all of the other young adults that attend therapies and work with daily. It is nice to be able to do activities and go on outings as a group with others my age, which right now the group is mostly guys. I like the idea of having the option and ability to go out on a Friday night, like everyone else my age, and do things with the guys. Things like shooting pool, bowling, playing fantasy football and going to a sporting event are a few of the activities we have done and are planning I am really excited about.

       Joyce started working in her new position this past June, and that’s when the Young Adults Program began. At the time of the program’s start, Special Tree had over 80 clients that fell into the young adult’s category (which is 18 – 30 years old). Since then, even more young adults have joined the program to get assistance with their education, to develop and learn work skills, and even just hang out with peers and hit the town. I like the new program because it’s nice to be able to spend some separate time with others my age, instead of hanging around the kids or spending all of my time with the “older crowd.”

       Besides for the outings and activities we pick, I also am learning job development skills while I am earning a pay check. I write this blog and keep people informed about a variety of things, both personal and about Special Tree. Some of the guys work in the community, working on different vocational skills. Some people work in the ceramics studio filling orders that are placed, some of the guys work in different departments over at our NeuroCare Center, and a bunch more. The cool thing is, they will even develop and create a job for each persons individual goals and skills – like mine!

       Soon we will organize and kick-off a food and clothing drive for a church in Detroit, I Am My Brother’s Keeper Ministries. This ministry was one of the inspirations and focuses of Mitch Albom’s, book Have a Little Faith. I haven’t read it yet, but I know who Mitch Albom is, and I am excited to help out people that need it since so many people help me out everyday.  As of now we are planning to kick off the food and clothing drive on November 1^st. I will make sure to remind everyone on my blog, so then you can help us give to those in need as well.