By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
The toughest, most courageous kid marching toward the turf at Frank R. Long Memorial Stadium last Friday night wasn’t wearing pads, cleats and helmet.
He was, however, wearing an ear-to-ear grin.
Six-year-old Dallas Wilson proudly led the Hayesville Yellow Jackets to the field of battle, which was fitting since the pint-sized pal of the guys holding his hands, Peyton Mcgaha and Tre Graves, was victorious in the greatest battle of all — the fight for life.
Three years ago, Dallas hovered between life and death after a 100 pound coat rack carved from a log fell on him, cracking his skull in more than one place.
“He spent 32 days in the hospital in Chattanooga and 16 days in the hospital for rehab in Charlotte. Forty-eight days total,” says his mom Ami.
Little Dallas was being treated for traumatic brain injury.
“It was an awful, awful thing. Unbelievably scary,” Dallas’ dad Darren recalled. “The unknown was the worst thing. Is he going to wake up? And if he does, will he know who we are? We lived with fear every day.”
Ami and Darren also lived with faith and lived by it.
“I would say it strengthened our faith,” Ami said. “We had always been involved in church.”
Ami and Darren weren’t the only ones praying.
“There was lots of community support,” remarked Ami’s friend Shelia McGaha, who organized a 5K race that raised about $6,500 for the family. “I got involved because we had worked together for so long and I knew Dallas personally. I knew the family needed help. No. 2, with my husband, Gerald, being a pastor and being in ministry, it’s one of those things where you just have the mentality of ‘see a need, meet the need,’ which is something I have tried to instill in my children as well as youth groups we have pastored.”
Gerald and Shelia’s son Peyton obviously absorbed the lesson.
“I like to consider myself a leader,” Peyton stated. “I like to be a positive influence on people’s lives, all to God’s glory.”
Peyton has certainly influenced Dallas’ young life. Last year, when Peyton played on the JV, he and Tre Graves arranged for Dallas to attend a football practice and pose for a photo with the entire team, which wore wristbands in his honor and to promote awareness of brain trauma.
Friday night was a repeat of those themes. This time, gold helium balloons were released as Dallas, Peyton and Graves led the varsity Yellow Jackets on their pre-game march through the stands and down the steps to the playing field.
“We wanted to raise awareness of brain injuries,” Peyton stated. “He enjoyed the walk with us. It felt good to make someone happy.”
Dallas made the trek without a misstep, which is pretty amazing considering the damage the severe brain injury did to his motor system.
“He had almost no control of his body,” Ami remembered. “His nurse told us that he didn’t think he would make it. He surprised everybody.”
Dallas made it through hard work and determination.
“He worked daily to relearn basic skills,” Ami said. “After they took him off sedation, he was cognitively intact. He couldn’t use his entire right side, he couldn’t walk, talk or eat.”
From wheelchair, to walker, to leg braces, little Dallas soldiered on.
“He didn’t get upset until he realized that he couldn’t communicate,” Ami recalled.
On good days and bad, the lines of communication between earth and heaven hummed steadily as Ami and Darren, friends and dozens of people they’d never met prayed for Dallas’ recovery.
Meanwhile, Dallas put in the hard work, not only during the day, but even after his hospital helpers went home.
“After physical, occupational and speech therapy he would be doing his exercises in bed,” said Ami. “He’s very determined.”
Gradually the brain healed. The body followed.
“He’s about 95 percent recovered,” Ami stated. “He still has some balance issues and some trouble with his left eye. He played baseball and we didn’t know if he ever would.”
Today, the baseball-playing Martins Creek Elementary first grader is working at being a little boy — a normal little boy.
“He’s a rambunctious 6-year-old, a dinosaur loving little boy who is a little bashful and loves everybody,” Ami says. “He’s excelling in school. In fact, he’s doing above grade level work.”
Those who watched Dallas make his remarkable recovery have no doubt that the little guy is loved.
“God healed him and blessed him,” Peyton said. “God has a plan for everybody. He can perform miracles.”
“He is a miracle,” Ami proclaims. “Our prayers were answered and our faith rewarded. He’s a walking miracle for sure.”
He knows it.
“We’ve heard him tell the story himself. He’s aware that he had something that God saved him from,” Ami said.
“We’re grateful for all the prayers that went up for Dallas,” Darren said. “The Lord blessed us. He’s a little miracle. He’s got a testimony one day when he gets older.”
Dallas not only has a testimony; he is a testimony. That’s why his parents allowed him to walk with the Yellow Jackets Friday night.
“We want people to see God’s miracles. He does amazing things,” Ami said. “We try to bring awareness to brain injuries, and to bring to light recognition to God’s glory.”