Our Family Story
by Alice Conaway
As a family of five we grew quickly. Doug and I had three children in as many years. Too busy to really worry much, we really had fun with the children, frequently fishing camping and hiking together.
But, there are certain events that can transform families; sometimes for the best, other times, for the worst. The outcome depends on the individuals and their willingness to embrace the change, to remain adaptable to outcomes, whatever they may be.
It was the week before Tom would have started kindergarten when things changed for our family; we were in an auto accident and Thomas suffered a life-threatening injury. Today he is well and studying, fishing, and filming among other things. He has a C-6 spinal cord injury and uses a wheelchair for mobility.
In our search for accessible meaningful family activities it was our love of the natural world that has brought us closer.
We continued to fish and adapt equipment for Tom to use while at the same time seeking out the most accessible least crowded natural habitats for us to explore.
As the children grew soccer and football were thrown in the mix of activities and we found creative ways to make the inaccessible accessible.
But more frequently than we cared to see, Tom sat on the sidelines. Certainly no amount of creativity was going to get him onto the field of play.
As Doug was filming a football game one day he stepped away from the camera. Tom drove up to it looking through the view finder with a great big smile. A simultaneous realization dawned: filming video could fill a void for Tom.
They started filming the wetlands of the San Pablo Bay which called to them. Week after week, year after year they still wake at 3:30 A.M. to get out in their camouflage before the birds awaken.
The sights, smells and sounds of the birds brought both a spiritual and emotional healing. After seven years of filming and learning to use their new equipment, Doug and friend Mike Reese, worked to adapt many items in order to allow Tom to film independently.
They have an extensive video library and chronology of the species that visit our little valley: It's a rare and beautiful watershed on the edge of the world.
We have created video greetings that share bits of the majesty of nature. They are meant to inspire you to look up and smile often, remembering anything and everything is possible.
