Terrilyn was known as the tomboy of the Thompson family. She not only welcomed that title but also lived up to her reputation by entering every athletic competition she could find. Nor did she settle for female records. For example, when her junior high coach told her she beat the girl’s highest bowling score for the year, she immediately asked what was the boy’s highest score. She was furious to discover that she would not be allowed to bowl against them.

During her senior year in high school, five university scouts offered her scholarships across several different arenas. She loved football. Of course, she knew she could never play that game on the field so she looked to the sidelines and found her closest dream in cheerleading.

Her parents could not understand why she wanted a career that would never pay the rent. Obviously, money was not her motivation. A typical NFL player earns about $860,000 a year while an NFL cheerleader only earns about $100 to $200 per game. So why was Terrilyn so adamant about pom-poms?

Of course, this 17-year-old ambitious athlete knew that football is the most dangerous game on any campus. Sadly, no one had warned her that after football, cheerleading is the second most dangerous. These statistics didn’t matter to her. Until now she had only known the thrill of victory and never the agony of defeat. That changed abruptly a few days before the Thanksgiving recess of her sophomore year.

Coaches expect cheerleaders to have elite tumbling, stunting, dancing and jumping skills. The most thrilling maneuvers are pyramids and the basket toss. In the latter case, the “basket” is four “throwers” who fling the “flyer” into the air. The girl being tossed can find herself soaring up to 20 feet high, expecting to land safely in the arms of the throwers when returning to earth.

While ankles and wrists account for the majority of cheerleading sprains, when head and neck injuries occur they’re devastating and catastrophic. Such was the unfortunate conclusion of Terrilyn’s final rally. Her fall severed her spinal cord at the C4 level and left her paralyzed from the shoulders down.

Today, as a patient in a chronic care facility, Terrilyn’s mother sits by her daughter’s bedside each day from early morning until her daughter falls asleep at night. Mom takes care of all of her needs.

They pass the daylight hours chatting, watching TV, saying the rosary, catnapping, doing whatever physical therapies are possible, and once in a while mom dries her daughter’s tears because Terrilyn cannot dry them for herself. At the bedside of her completely disabled daughter, Mom is a tower of strength, encouragement, and prayerful hope. She holds back her tears for her solitary drive home. That’s what mothers do.

Holy Homework

In plain sight during the month of May, let’s post a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding Jesus in her arms. Each time we look at it, let’s offer a prayer of thanksgiving for all mothers who cheer in public when their children experience the thrill of victory and who weep in private when they suffer the agony of defeat. We love you, mom. You are the true champion in our lives.

Comments can be sent to FatherBobPagliari@Yahoo.com