My Unknown Identity

          If you asked people who may know me, who I am, they would say I was a pretty decent guy. If you asked people how I carry myself,  they would probally say I can be silly but for the most part I am pretty reserved. If you asked people what my hobbies are they would say I like to cook and I love sports. What people don't know is that I have another hobby, a hobby that reveals a whole different side of me. I like to rap! Its very surprising to most. It was mostly surprising to me. I never considered rapping as being one of my many  crafts.
        It all started September 2005. It was my junior year in highschool. I had just been transferred to a new math class. I did not know that many people. I was sitting in class waiting for the bell to ring. It seemed like it was taking forever. I sat there patiently. I kept noticing the girl across from me kept starring. I just ignored it, I was to eager to get out of class to care about unfriendly glares. I continued to wait and she continued to stare. As I daydreamed and gazed at the clock, I was suddently disturbed by rude and adrupt comments being made by this girl. She was saying all types of random insulting things about me. She made comments referring to me as stupid and even worse things regarding my accident . I sat there speechless, but more so confused not knowing what provoked this attack. I was embarassed, the other people in my classroom could hear the things that she was saying. I distinctly remembering just wanting to leave. Just hoping that the bell would ring. That was longest I ever had to wait for the bell ringing.
      The rest of that day was a complete drag. I remember thinking "Why would she do that?", " What Did I do?", most of all I remember being angry. I was angry because I had experienced a life altering trama that changed me forever. I had been working hard to collect the pieces of who I was and who I am now to better myself. It was struggle and that was a very personal topic for me, that she used for her own amusement. She used it against me. She took something I viewed as strength and turned into a weakness. I was angry
       When I finally got home all I could think about was finding a healthy way to express myself. I began just talking aloud about how I felt. I had so much to say. I decided to keep track of it and write it down. I began trying to get my thoughts to rhyme. I got tired of writting so I decided to type the words and save it on my labtop. This went on for a few hours. After I finished writting the rap I began reviewing it to memorize it, and tweeking it here and there.
        The next day could not come quick enough! I was VERY excited to deliver the rap in front of the class. I mentioned to some of my fellow classmates that I had a new ryhme. They were just as anxious to hear it as me I was to recite it. Finally my time came. She walked in the classsroom at about 1ish in the afternoon. She glanced at weird as usual. She took her seat next to me. I glared at her as she sat and began to recite my lyrics.
     By the time I finished, this girl looked frustrated , she was as red as a beat, she was silent all she could say was WHATEVER......The class cheered , and began reciting some of the lyric that I recited.I felt so good about myself especially because I was able to express my anger in a constructive way.
       I just want to make it clear that I am not a confrontational person, I don't go around starting problems with people! However I do believe that effective expression is important. Everyone has the right to stand up for themselves. Confrontation is inevitable howeve,r how you handle it when it comes your way is whats important.

Inspiring Message

    One afternoon I talked with my teacher by the name of Mr. K, I was venting to him about the stressful day I was having. Shortly after talking to Mr K I went to class, after about 5 minutes Mr. K then pulled me out of class to talk with me again. He wanted to share my experience with his class so that they too would know my story! Immediately I started brain storming and telling him everything I could remember from start to finish. Realizing that all the details were possibly to massive for Mr K. to remember, I offered to tell my story myself. I was so nervous, I had never given  a speech before.  The only thing I knew how to do was tell my story, and thats what I did.  The reaction I got was SHOCKING, the class of students were completely silenced with their mouths open. I was taken back, that an entire highschool class was giving me their complete undivided attention. I could tell by the looks on their faces that they cared about my story. That was my first speech in 2005!

   I continued to give  speeches that year and the following year. Students began writting me letters. In the letters they would express how my speech affected them and how they were inspired  to make changes in their lives for the better.

  By 2006 I frequently gave speeches at different events for my highschool. The most memorable speech I gave was when I was asked to share my story with other students and The FreePress!!!!!!!!!!! I was nervous but more so excited to be able to reach out to more people and share my story with so many. The day of that speech I met so many wonderful people that wanted others to know my story, like Mr D. He even wants to help me publish a book about my story in the future.
  Once I graduated high school I started college.I explained to one my professors how I gave speeches at my former high school. I asked my professor if I could  give a speech to the class, and she agreed! After the speech I met a student who was at the time going through a divorce,  because of my speech she decided to stick it out. This particular experience meant alot to me, now days people are reluctant to express what they go thru when  they experience life changing events.  That is why when people reach out to let me know how my story affects them I am very happy. The young lady and I still keep in touch, she is doing very well. She made a good decison not to give up on her marriage.

    Giving speeches is what I love to do, and I find it fufilling to give people somethin to think about, something that can actually benefit their lives. Its the greatest feeling in the world to give people something  they can actually use. To get positive feed back on a speech that I had given that exposes so many of my trials and tribulations, is and will always be a priceless joy. I still stay in contact with people who were touched by my speech and hope to reach out to many more .


                                                                           

My LiFE

  I was 14 years old riding my bike to my middle school when I was HIT by a F-150 pick up truck. I flew 30 feet across the road, and landed head first onto the pavement, fracturing my skull. I started having convulsions then after I wasn't breathing and my heart stopped till the ambulance came. Before the ambulance arrived, people in the homes near were I was laying came out to see what all the commotion was about. When people were outside, a person in all black started walking to me. No one could see who this was or how they got there. When the figure was near me they put their hand over my chest for awhile then walked away into a crowd and vanished. Once the Fire truck arrived, they started resuscitating me. After a few minutes of working on me they realized they did not have all the equipment, so they called for another ambulance to come with the rest of the equipment. When the ambulance arrived,the first thing they did was take off my shirt and cut my left side open to inflate my lung (On the street). Next they took me to a hospital where I was treated for my injuries! A short time after starting to treat me they told my parents they were going to stop treating me because my injuries were SOO severe they did not have all the equipment needed to treat me. My parents were told THEY COULD NOT SEE ME or ride in the ambulance with me to go to another hospital.

  When I arrived at the 2nd hospital, they started hooking me up with IV's and breathing equipment. The doctors told my parents I had no chance of survival without surgery and 20% chance with surgery!! At midnight I was taken in to have emergency surgery to remove some bruised brain matter. Every hour my parents got updates about me and my condition and I was told the updates got progressively worse every hour!!  I was then induced into a  coma for 31 days.

  While I was in the coma my body was soo HOT that I layed on a cold bed, like a sheet of ice, to keep my body temperature normal! I had a feeding tube, a tube to go to the bathroom, 12 IV's, and 3 tubes in my head to relieve some of the pressure in my brain!!! My parents were told that I sustained a traumatic brain injury. While I was in a coma every Friday the doctors would meet and discuss whether they should pull the plug or not and keep treating me? Luckily they decided every Friday to keep treating me because of my age (14) and I was very fit and muscular from all the sports and travel soccer team I was on.

                 Some weird instances that happened to me while I was in a coma
  Several weeks in, a lady my parents had never meet came to see us in the hospital. My parents had not a clue who she was. The lady laid a picture of Jesus on my chest and told my parents that there was a prayer chain for me that extended all the way into Canada!! Another wierd instance that happened was when my mom was planning to visit me,and that night she had a dream that a woman named Lisa had a message for her about me. The next morning my mom remembered the dream and said "a Lisa??", "I don't know a Lisa". My mom was upset from the dream and wanted to call off work. When my mom called in to work, a Lisa answered the phone. My mom recalled the dream and asked "You had a message for me about my son?" Lisa responded "yes I did I was afraid to tell you, I didn't want to get you upset, but I had a dream that your son was running around saying mom don't worry I'm going to be ok don't worry, I'm going to be ok."

                    Some problems while in a coma
  One problem I encountered was that a needle/shot was placed near my bed with someone elses name on it. My parents saw this and brought it up to the nurses to make sure I did not get someone elses shot!! KINDA SCARY!! If you think that's scary here's another problem that occurred!! Every day an x-ray tech would do an x-ray on my head to make sure the pressure in my brain was ok. One evening when my parents had left the hospital, the x-ray tech did a scan of my head. When he finished, he removed the metal plate behind my head knocking all 3 of the tubes out of my head. Later that night a nurse came to give me shots and realized my bed was all wet. She got the doctors and they then just monitored me, thinking that my brain may be ok, and able to get rid of the fluid my body produces daily without the tubes. A few hours later they realized that the pressure in my brain was at dangerous levels!! They rushed me back to have surgery to put a internal tube (Shunt, this is a internal tube to relieve fluid pressure from my brain) in my head instead of the external tubes they had. Before they did the operation they realized that with all the pressure in my head , my brain expanded into my spinal cord!! Most often when this happens it is fatal to those with head injuries! Luckily for me it did not take my life BUT it did paralyze the right side of my face and my vocal cord!

  After 31 days in a coma and a month in ICU I spent 2 more months in therapy. The memories from the period of time are very vague. I remember seeing my family and friends everyday. My mother decorated my room often to offer me sense of comfort. My church family offered alot of support. They would come often to visit me and read to me. While I was in a coma my parents were with me day and night. My dad would even spend nights with me in the hospital. After intense repetitious therapy and support from a friend who attended most of my therapy sessions, I was on my way to recovery.

  One major inspiration in my recovery was a video that I made with my friends prior to the accident. When I watched the video at the time I could not speak, walk, eat, or move except for my left arm. I watched that video over and over again until I finally realized who was in the video. It was me. I became very emotional. I wheeled myself out of the room. My parents came running after me.They told me, " You will be okay Will". With intense anger and frustration I gathered every emotion in me and replied "NO I WON'T". My parents eyes got big and they turned to each other shockingly and ran out the room to the doctors and told them that I could talk. Once I was able to communicate I made an even more rapid recovery with the help speech therapist. Once I gained a reasonable amount of strength, balance, and comprehension skills I was granted permission to go back to school. The problem was that they did not know what grade to place me in. Originally I was in 7th grade, but they placed me back in 3rd being unsure of my learning capabilities. With hard work determination I was able to show the school board not only was I capable of learning but I could retain and use the knowledge given to me. The following year they placed me in 8th grade where I belonged. From that point on I kept up with my class and even graduated with a 3.6 G.P.A. from high school. Shortly after, I registered for college courses to major in Business. I continued going to therapies over the years and my parents remained supportive. Most of all my parents were determined to make sure that I was able to survive on my own. They began seeking places that promoted independence.

   Eventually my parents found a  place. I moved into a Special Tree group home about 4-5 months ago. There were pros and cons with living in a group home. The cons were I had to get adjusted to living with people. On a positive note I had my own personal space , a jacuzzi, a pool table, and flat screen tv's. I even had an opportunity to expand my great cooking skills! I had helpful staff that made sure I was physically and emotionally safe and were always available anytime I may have needed something.   The staff were absolutely wonderful which made it a very enjoyable experience to be at the group home. There were clients that were enjoyable to be around. I loved watching the Tigers games with some of my peers and having conversations with them. I also liked having sit down dinners where everyone would talk about their day and things they had going on! 

                                                                Time to move on!!
  During the 4-5 months at the Special Tree group home, I met all my goals and found out some exciting news. I found out I will be moving into a Special Tree apartment! This is VERY exciting giving me some new experiences and opportunities. Some things I am really looking forward to are having friends, parents over, making Green Tea all the time!!, and being in a peaceful and enjoyable environment where I'm in control of noise and whats going on. I love to cook for my parents, and having the new apartment will give me more freedom to do so!! I'm ready to take on more responsibility and be more independent!


  One of my new found passions is public speaking. I now give speeches about my story to help other people. I gave a speech to one class in high school and it then evolved to giving speeches to many classes through out the day. This is another example of how far my recovery has come! I have made such a huge recovery with all the support I have received through the years. My friends and family were always there to support and motivate me and this is why I STRONGLY feel I am were I am today!!

HiGH ACHieVeMeNT = GREATNESS

Trophies

3 Platinum

72 Gold

264 Silver

946 Bronze

TOTAL

1285 Trophies

Greatness!!!!

% of Trophies

 100%   100%    100%   100%  100%

           96%   97%   95% 

    

  91%    92%  92%  93%   

    
Here are some fun stats that I have achieved! From 2010 till the end of 2011 these are fun games I have achieved maximum trophies! The percentages on top of every game represents the number of trophies I have earned divided by the total number of trophies in the game that are available!

 I hope this helps the gamers at Special Tree

Thank you for letting me share all my achievements with you

ProFiLE!



This picture is my profile where all trophies I earn are kept. It shows the latest 8 trophies I have earned with the picture of it in the middle. You see Trophies under 1,285.  It also keeps track of the level I'm on to the lower left. The more trophies I earn the level I'm on and the percent goes up.

I started gaming late 2009 till present. Earning 1,285 Tophies. The most recent Trophy pictures are from Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One to the middle left and Hasbro Family Game Night 4 to the middle right

All the game reviews I have posted are my view of all those games
 

This document I hope gives all the gamers at Special Tree some MOTIVATION!!!

FaMiLY GaME HiTs AND MiSSeS

Family/Party
Games	My Rating	Review
Rango	Good	·         Fun ·         Easy to learn
Rio	Excellent	·         Very fun ·         Nice Family game
Hannah Montana: The game	Excelent	·         Fun ·         Easy to learn ·         Musical performances
Kung Fu Panda 2	Excellent	·         Easy to play and learn
Monsters vs. Aliens	Excellent	·         Fun to play ·         Challenging but not to hard
Cloudy with a chance of meatballs	Excellent	·         Fun Role playing game
Hasbro Family Game Night	Excellent	·         Fun Family game
Hasbro Family Game Night 4	Good	·         Fun family game ·         8 games
Cars Race-O-Rama	Poor	·         Bad Game ·         Hard to understand
Shrek: Forever After	Good
You don’t know Jack	Excellent	·         Fun Trivia Game ·         Challenging ·         Repeating Episodes available if needed
Ice Age: Dawn of The Dinosaurs	Good	·         Fun Dinosaur game
Flowers	Good	·         Playstation Network game ·         Good Graphics
Trine 2	Excellent	·         Playstation Network game ·         Good graphics ·         Playing as 3 characters
Rocketbirds: Hard boiled chicken	Good	·         Playstation Network game ·         Good graphics ·         Some what challenging to understand
Spare Parts	Good	·         Playstation Network game ·         Playing as a Robot
Trivial Pursuit	Have not played yet
Hasbro Family Game Night 3	Have not played yet
Start the Party	Have not played yet

theres some FaMiLY GaME HiTs AND MiSSeS for all at Special Tree!

SpORT GaMER ReViEWS

Sports
Games	My Rating	Review
NCAA Football 12	Excellent	·         Fun Football Game
NHL 12	Excellent	·         Great Graphics ·         Fun Online play ·         Many different Modes
NHL 11	Excellent	·         Fun/Competitive game ·         Online p[lay very challenging
NHL 2K10	Good	·         Good Hockey Game
Tiger Woods PGA  Tour 10	Excellent	·         Fun Game ·         Many different courses ·         Created players are upgradable ·         Move accessible
NCAA Football 11	Excellent	·         Great Graphics ·         Game play easy to understand ·         Many different game modes
Madden NFL 10	Good	·         Good Graphics ·         Fun
NCAA Football 10	Excellent	·         Good Graphics ·         Fun
NHL 10	Good	·         Good Graphics ·         Many modes to play ·         Challenging online play
Madden NFL 09	Good	·         Good game but graphics aren’t the best
NCAA Football 09	Fair	·         Good game
Madden NFL 08	Fair	·         Good game
NCAA Football 08	Fair	·         Good game
All-Pro Football 2K8	Fair	·         Fun playing as X football players
Blitz: The league II	Fair	·         NO NFL rules game
Backbreaker	Good	·         Fun game with no NFL teams or players
Sports Champions	Excellent	·         Whole game is done with the move
John Daly’s Pro Strokes Golf	Have not played Yet

  Here are some fantastic and non fantastic sports game ReViEWS for ALL at Special Tree!

I rated these games from Poor to Excellentand given some resons why I rated them the way I did. I hope my game ReViEWS help with your gaming experience!!!