'There's always hope'

Wed, Jul 6, 2005
Family trying to cope with paralysis of 14-year-old
By MELISSA DONLEY
and AMY HORTON CARTER
The Brunswick News
Fourteen-year-old Joey Smith can't go home again until his house undergoes some major renovations.
Paralyzed from the chest down following a diving accident last month, Joey is undergoing 10 weeks of therapy at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, which specializes in treating spinal cord injuries.
If his house has not been fitted with ramps, wider hallways and doorways and a new bathroom by the time his therapy ends, Joey cannot come home.
That realization moved Susan Lee to act on his behalf.
"He can't come home until he can get through (the doorways), so we've got to build on to this single-wide mobile home," said Lee, who taught Georgia history to Joey at Jane Macon Middle School last year.
Faced with mounting medical bills and the expense of traveling back and forth from Brunswick to Atlanta to be with Joey, his family is unable to pay for the renovations.
Joey's injury has put his family in dire straits.
"It's just overwhelming," said Joey's grandfather, Joseph Smith Sr., a former Glynn County commissioner. "You just don't know where to turn."
Friends and caring acquaintances are turning to the community to help the family.
Teacher Lee set up an account in Joey's name at United Community Bank, and is working on an application to the ABC television show "Extreme Home Makeover" in hope of persuading its host, celebrity carpenter Ty Pennington, to tackle the project.
The Glynn County Daytrippers, a recreational motorcycle group Joey's father, Joe Smith Jr., rides with, is collecting building materials for the home modifications and money for the family.
"We wanted to do something to help out," Daytripper Nancy Wilkes said.
Joe Smith Jr. had spent time with his son in Atlanta, but had to return to Brunswick to begin a new job with a trucking company. Joey's stepmother, Susan Smith, is also starting a new job at Morningstar Treatment Services.
"It's been very emotional," Susan Smith said. "I think we're all worn out from going back and forth."
The family's nightmare began June 14 when Joey was swimming with friends at Altamaha Park and was injured after he dove from a floating dock. Joseph Smith Sr. said Joey most likely hit his head on the river bottom, resulting in the seventh and eighth vertebrae in his spine being crushed.
The injury has paralyzed Joey from the chest down, leaving him with limited arm movement. Doctors told the family there is little chance he would have finger movement.
"There's always hope," Joseph Smith Sr. said. "There's always the power of prayer."
Joey, who was put into a wheelchair for the first time a week ago, will receive therapy for six hours a day. "Right now he's depressed and down," Joseph Smith Sr. said.
Shirley Anderson, an aunt, said she believes Joey, who is regularly described as an active, good kid, will pull through.
"He is going through a hard time himself right now," Anderson said. "It's just going to be a while. I think once he gets through the first trauma of it, I think he will get through this. He's a strong little boy."
Joey, an advanced math student at Jane Macon Middle School, was looking forward to becoming a freshman this year at Brunswick High School. Joseph Smith Sr. said the family is unsure when, or if, he will be able to attend.
"He wants to go back to school. We still have hopes," Smith said.
Teacher Lee said she sensed Joey's depression during a recent telephone conversation.
"I told him we were going to do everything we can to get him home." Even if it takes a community effort and a network television show to do it.