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jckamas Community College, Oregon City, OR
page 4
Wednesday, May 11,2011
Volume 44, Issue 21
¡jThe Clackamas Print
First copy FREE; additional copies 10
Vist TheClackamasPrint.net for more info & photos
in independent, student-run newspaper since 1966
rormer volleyball player speaks
about life after her dreadful accident
By Kayla Callaway
Co-Editor-in-Chief
“Nowfaith is the substance of things hopedfor, the evidence
of things not seen ... " — Hebrews 11:1
These were the last words Richelle Heacock posted on her
Facebook before leaving on the night of Jan. 4,2010, the night
Richelle was in a life-altering car accident that left her para­
lyzed from the chest down.
Now, more than year later, Richelle is still confined to a
wheelchair. She has regained some movement in her hands,
enough to surf the Web and text, and in her opinion acupunc­
ture has helped her to bend her knee. Richelle has come leaps
and bounds since January 2010, but still, the former star vol­
leyball player has a long journey to travel.
Nearly eveiy day, she has some form of physical therapy
or a doctor appointment. On her days off, she constantly has
visitors. At 21 years old, Richelle has had to go through more
than most individuaj^do in their lifetime, and she keeps mov­
ing forward. She’s even coaching volleyball in her spare time.
After the accident, Richelle moved back to her parents’
house, leaving her Oregon City apartment that she lived in
while attending Clackamas Community College.
Tucked away near the base of Mt. Rainier in a small town
called Ashford sits the Heacock house. Since the accident, the
house has nearly doubled in size with the addition of an apart­
ment just for Richelle. Pulling into the driveway, one can see
the expansive property behind the beautifully remodeled front
entranceway. Seeing all this, it’s hard to believe that the remod­
el took only eight weeks to complete, but then again, more than
200 volunteers showed up in the family’s time of need.
Richelie’s parents, Peg and John Heacock, have lived in
the small community for most, if hot all, of their lives, so last
year when tragedy struck, everyone came together to make the
Heacock house accessible for Richelie’s homecoming.
“At the most tragic time of your life, your heart was just
melting, crushed, and at the same time, they’ve got all this
wonderful stuff going on and these people are just... they ’re
just breaking out everything to help you,” said Peg, recalling
how the tiny community came through.
Upon entering her apartment, I was greeted by Richelle
and her mother, Peg, both women smiling warmly. Richelle,
maneuvering her wheelchair with ease, showed us her living
area, complete with a little kitchen stocked full of her favorite
snacks and sodas. In one comer, she has some of her therapy
equipment set up. When she uses the bicycle-like machine
which moves her legs as if she were riding a bike, a computer
sends information about her muscles’ reactions to Harborview,
the hospital at which she stayed after the accident.
Along another wall, near her television, her movie collec­
tion is tucked somewhat chaotically in a tall shelf and is so
large it can make anyone envious. Movies like “P.S. I Love
You” and “Eat, Pray, Love” adorn the shelf, although the latter
is definitely not Richelie’s favorite. There are five large televi­
sions throughout the house to watch these movies on.
Richelle isn’t that much different from any other girl her
age. She goes to concerts, she reads books on her iPad and she
is a huge fan of Facebook. She’s constantly updating her status
and chatting with friends. On the arm of her wheelchair, she has
her cell phone attached via Velcro, and according to Peg, she
can text faster than anyone. She watches “Saturday Night Live”
clips constantly and always makes her therapists laugh by shar­
ing them. She’s a fan of “Glee,” especially Sue Silvester, and
is currently reading Tina Fey’s new book, “Bossypants.” She
regularly attends Puyallup Foursquare Church on Saturdays.
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Please see RICHELLE, Page 7
As her dog, Charlie, sleeps at her feet, Richelle
Heacock talks about her life after the devastat­
ing accident that took away her ability to walk.
Michael Bohn Clackamas Print