MCKENZIE (February 5) The Holy Bible records that Thomas, a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, was admonished by Jesus for having had to inspect Christ's crucifixion wounds in order to believe that He had risen from death. Christ, addressing Thomas and other disciples gathered around Him that day, said, “Blessed are they who do not see me but shall still believe."

For Craig Willis and family of McKenzie, believing in the unseen is essential to their Christian faith. Unquestionably, it is their unified belief in God that has sheltered them in the aftermath of a most unexpected tragedy.

In the blink of an Eye

On the evening of June 12, 2006, Willis, then 39, suffered a catastrophic C-4 Quad paralization after being involved in a four-wheeler accident near his home on Blackburn Road. As a result of the accident, Craig's hands and legs were paralyzed, with only partial movement in his arms and neck function remaining.

Recalling the fateful event, Craig, a 1986 graduate of Huntingdon High School, began, "I had been cleaning out my shop after work that Monday and it was so very hot inside and out. After working until dusky dark, I decided to ride my four-wheeler down the road to try and cool off. After going a little ways down the road, I turned around and started back toward the house. I started to pull into the driveway, but decided to ride for a little longer and drove past the house and on down the street."

Continuing down the road, Craig recalled looking behind his vehicle to check for traffic before attempting to slow and turn around.

"When I looked forward, a deer jumped out onto the road just ahead of me. I immediately reacted and hit the brakes to try to stop and was thrown over the handlebars. I remember flying through the air and then landing on the road. Then, the four-wheeler landed on me," he said.

Craig's wife, Sheila sadly recalled, "Craig had been laying in the road for awhile before some of our neighbors discovered him and rushed over to the house to tell me that he was hurt. It was horrible. He had a fifteen-inch laceration on his head, and it was immediately evident that something was wrong."

She informed, "Medical personnel arrived on the scene, and a lifeflight helicopter loaded Craig onboard to transport him to a critical care hospital in Memphis.

Craig recalled, "Once in the air, the flight crew opted to take us to Jackson Madison County Hospital (JMCH) due to their being such a heavy fog that night."

Upon being admitted at the hospital, Craig and Sheila spent the next week in JMCH's Intensive Care Unit.

Good Shepherd

Sheila noted that after the one-week stay in ICU at Jackson, Craig was transported to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.

Founded in 1975 by spinal cord survivor James Shepherd and designated by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research as a Spinal Cord Injury Model, Shepherd Center is known for its often-remarkable results in treating and rehabilitating patients suffering with spinal cord and brain injuries.

The not-for-profit hospital houses a 250,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility with 100 beds, including an eight-bed intensive care unit. Each year more than 850 patients like Craig are admitted and nearly 30,000 outpatient clinic visits are conducted. Shepherd Center consistently ranks among the nation's top rehabilitation hospitals in U.S News and World Report.

Sheila stated that the staff at Good Shepherd was not only genuinely concerned regarding the plight of Craig's condition, but also readily available to educate her on properly caring for her husband once the couple arrived home.

Sheila, a graduate of McKenzie High School and certified CNA nurse specializing in hospice caregiving, attended classes daily at Good Shepherd as Craig underwent therapy.

Although the couple has tried to remain positive throughout the ordeal, the struggle has not been without low points.

Moved to tears, Craig wept as his wife spoke about an encouraging talk delivered to her husband by the couple's youngest child, Trevor, during a particularly rough day at Shepherds Center.

Sheila recalled, "One day, after Craig had just finished a grueling and exhaustive physical therapy treatment session, he was so demoralized and upset. Our youngest son Trevor came over to him and said-dad, when you talk to people, you always tell them that everything is going to be all right. Dad…believe what you say, because things are going to be all right."

The couple is parents to children Stephen Brown, 22, Cody Brown, 19 and Trevor Willis, 12.

Sheila said, "The kids have been wonderful throughout all of this and each has helped out greatly. Cody works second shift and is always checking in and ready to help out."

Sowing the seeds of Love

She noted that while at Shepherds Center, the couple's faith in God had hopefully planted seeds of salvation in the soul of a young man admitted there after suffering a spinal cord injury that occurred on the same day as Craig's.

She said, "The boy, noticing that our faith made a positive difference in how we dealt with Craig's injury, asked us for a Bible. Speaking with his mom, she told us that she did not believe in God. We found out later on that she had placed her son in a nursing home because she couldn't handle taking care of him. That really broke our hearts."

She continued, "I told Craig, the reason for our being there might have been to share the gospel with that boy. It will always be our prayer that he accepts the Lord as his Savior."

Hope Once Again

While at Good Shepherd, Sheila first learned about stem cell research, a promising medical process being utilized to stimulate regeneration of damaged spinal and brain tissues.

Granted full access of the center's computer and database, Sheila immersed herself in an intensive search for knowledge relating to stem call research and implementation.

"I have literally done tons of research on stem cell treatment. I learned that some treatment facilities are actually bogus. Many of these places like the one located in the Dominican Republic offer only one injection, no surgery and no physical therapy for $20,000. Unfortunately, they are not the only facility out there that operates like that."

She noted that due to information derived from the hospital databases and the Michael J. Fox and Christopher Reeve Foundation web-sites, she learned of the 463 Hospital located in Shenyang, China.

Designated in 1996 as a tier III hospital by the Ministry of Health as one of the highest rated hospitals in China, has earned world attention as a progenitor in the field of stem cell injection and physical therapy. The staff of 463 Hospital, in addition to having received 232 awards for excellency, have published over 289 medical publications.

Equipped with many of the world's greatest physicians and technology, the hospital utilizes 32 departments, 142 senior doctors and 32 laboratories and a total staff of over 800 housed in a 14-floor tall building.

Sheila said, "By far, Shenyang offers the best treatment options for the cost. The procedure consists of five injections containing over 10 million stem cells each administered over a 25 day period."

She added, "The unspecialized stem cells used in the injection process are harvested from blood drained from discarded umbilical cords. There is absolutely no fetus tissue used in the stem cell collection process. The stem cells are harvested from umbilical cords, exclusively."

"Although stem cell research and treatment is controversial and causes assorted reactions in people, I want everyone to know that Craig and I have prayed diligently not to misstep the will of God. We humbly believe in our hearts that the Lord has opened this door of opportunity to us. I'm so proud that Craig has the courage and willingness to pursue this and become a pioneer research patient. Perhaps his being a part of this will also benefit others in the future."

Sheila said, "Honesty, we are scared about the outcome. I want to ask every person who has faith and every church that has a prayer list to please lift us up and pray for us through all of this."

The precious gift of Time

Sheila noted that instead of having to wait two years for treatment like many applicants, the hospital accepted Craig immediately due to his age and current muscle tone. She added that another factor involved the relatively short time span that had transpired since the incurrence of Craig's spinal injury.

She noted that upon their arrival at Shenyang Hospital, physicians would study x-rays taken at the time of Craig's accident to determine if surgery would also be warranted.

Sheila informed that the trip and treatment would cost at least $24,000 and would completely drain the couple's life savings.

She said, "This trip is a true step of faith for our family. We are investing all of our life savings to do this, and we are going out on a literal limb. It takes months before a person begins to receive Social Security disability, and, on top of all of that, I won't be able to go to work when we arrive home due to not being able to leave Craig alone."

Regarding his view of stem cell procedure, Craig stated, "I know that this is a different type of treatment, but I am willing to try it. I can't sit in this wheelchair in this house for the rest of my life and do nothing. I have to try to get back to work for the sake of my family. I have to try.”

Sheila said, "Craig is a special person, and God knows he's strong enough to make this journey and try this experimental treatment. We are humbly waiting upon the Lord for His Will to be done."

On a Wing and a Prayer

Sheila informed that the couple would be driven to Chicago by Sheila's brother and sister-in-law for a non-stop plane flight to China, with departure scheduled for February 27.

Sheila said, "It is best that we are traveling there non-stop and won't have to change flights. We would be in a mess if our luggage, medicine or wheelchair was lost."

After landing in Beijing, the couple will board a one-hour flight on China Air to Shenyang.

"Cody and Trevor are anxious about our going and in trying keep in touch with us when we are away. We are truly going to miss them until our return to America on April first." she said.

A Family named UGN.

A self professed workaholic, Craig was a senior production coordinator for UGN in Jackson prior to the accident.

Regarding UGN, Craig said, "Everyone there, from upper management to entry level employees have been so good to me and my family. They haven't forgotten me, and continue to call and check on me." He added, "When the insurance would not pay for something, the company would step in and pay. They found out that Sheila had been sleeping on the floor beside my hospital bed for months after we returned home from Shepherds Center and paid for a hospital bed so that she could sleep beside me and be close by when I needed her help. That means so much to me."

Sheila added, "The employees there collected a box of Wal-Mart gift cards and gave it to us. We utilized the money to purchase a new phone system that allows Craig to talk on the phone by using the pencil attached to his arm brace to hold the receiver. We are deeply thankful to them for all they do to help us.”

Brothers and Sisters All Around

Turning her attention to family, friends and neighbors in McKenzie, Carroll County and beyond, the couple emotionally praised all that have reached out to them spiritually and financially during their ordeal.

Craig said. "It has been so amazing the number of prayers and acts of kindness that we have received. I'm so grateful to everyone for loving us through such a hard time.

Smiling through his tears, he said, "In trying to explain my situation, I often tell people the story of the man trapped on the roof by a flood. With water rising nearly to the roof of his house, a boat owner stopped and offered the man on the roof a ride to safety. The man on the roof waved him away telling the man that the Lord was going to save him. Later, as the water continued to rise, another boat came by and the man on the roof waved that boat away as well, stating that he had faith and the Lord would save him. Finally, as the water lapped at his feet and the house weakened beneath him, a third boat appeared and the boat's owner begged the man on the roof to jump into his boat. The man again refused, saying that he was waiting on the Lord to save him. Moments later, the house collapsed and the man drowned."

He continued, "When the man arrived in Heaven, he immediately marched up to the Lord and asked-I waited on you to save me until the very end. Why didn't you come? The Lord, looking into the eyes of the man responded, I tried three times to rescue you, but you just wouldn't let me."

Craig said, "This stem cell procedure is my boat. I believe that the Lord has opened this avenue for my family and me. I believe that the Lord uses medicine, physicians and technology as part of His will. He is God to everything and all knowledge given to man comes from Him."

Angelic Hands

Sheila and Craig, upon returning from Shepherd Center, began searching for a facility to continue Craig's physical therapy. Miraculously, the couple found Milan Physical Therapy.

Sheila said, "I really believe that God led us to Milan Physical Therapy. Owner Carol Blair and staff members Candace Barrentine and Tanya Pigg have truly been a blessing to us from God. Most people in this area don't deal with paralysis, but they are so knowledgeable and provide excellent, consistent care. They have also been so supportive. Their working with Craig after we return from the stem cell treatment in China will be invaluable in his fight for recovery."

Concluding the interview, Craig again thanked everyone for their love and support.

"I am humbled by people's kindness to me and my family. I ask everyone to keep praying for us. We trust in the power of the Lord," he said.

You can help

The Craig Willis Fund has been established through First Bank branches in Huntingdon, Bruceton, Hollow Rock, Lexington and other areas so that individuals, churches and church related groups, civic organizations and businesses and their employees can contribute desperately needed financial aid to the Willis family. All donations received will be greatly appreciated.

It is stated in the Holy Bible that faith without works is dead. This is your opportunity to be God's hands on this earth and help a family that desperately needs your assistance.