Tri for Tourettes 2012

This year we only had one Homer that wanted to do the Tri for Tourettes.  I was very excited as the funds this time went to my friend Brad Cohen's camp Twitch and Shout. The excitement started when Gran and Grandfather were bringing the bike to us from the lake.  A bike tire blew in the back seat while they were driving and we had to get that fixed. Never thought to just fix the other one too while we were at it.

Jared was one of the older kids there so he was the 2nd one in the water. He got out of the water 1st and ran up the hill to transition. He was about the 10th one out of the transition and onto the bike course. We need to work on that. :) My mom was there to help me cheer him on. We waited for him to come around the corner so we could ring our cow bells. We kept waiting. And waiting. I started to worry that the other tire blew. We waited some more. He FINALLY came around the corner and said he wiped out. I told him he was fine and to keep going. He came by for the run and said "it's really bad, I wiped out REALLY bad"...again I told him he was fine and cheered him on the the finish line. As I pondered how bad he was hurt (he looked fine and he was talking, that's good, right?) I also was amazed at his determination to finish the race. He came across that line and I was so proud. SO proud of that boy. Some days he makes me bananas but that afternoon I was hoping I could be like him when I grow up. Then I saw the damage. He was bleeding from the mouth-a busted lip. To me it looked like his tooth was cracked as well, time will tell on that. His chin was bruised from the helmet strap. His elbows were torn up. His knees were shredded. And his ankle..well, lets just say the wound was so deep it wasn't bleeding. He will have that scar so long that his kids will ask him how he got it. Yeah, it was bad. If you thought I was proud of him before...Jared, buddy, that day you were my hero. You got back on that stupid bike and you finished. Most days I wonder what on earth you are thinking but that day you never gave up. Way to go, I am so proud of you!!