Pray for Grayson Pope (updated 9/19/23)

[vollygirl]

There are few updates in this story. Keep praying.

Alabama community steps up after high school baseball player injured

 

[Orange&whitelover]

Here is an update a friend of mine shared on their Facebook page it was posted by Rick Karle WVTM 13

Small victories.
They come only occasionally, but David and Jamie Pope welcome them.
An entire Alabama community welcomes them, too.
Small victories for a 16-year-old baseball star who is searching for the win of his life.

David and Jamie Pope sit by their son’s hospital bed praying.
It’s been over 3 weeks since the tree came crashing down on the golf cart.
Their son Grayson suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been unconscious since.
Since the day their lives changed, David and Jamie look for victories, however small they may be.

Grayson Pope is such an awesome kid.
A standout baseball player at Hewitt-Trussville High School (AL), he’s already committed to play for the Tennessee Vols.
Life was good just over three weeks ago.
Grayson Pope was a future SEC baseball player.

“We have had some small victories,” Gray’s dad David told me this morning.
“Gray is breathing on his own without a ventilator,” he said.
“He is off sedation.”
“His eyes are open during the day for longer periods of time.”
“He blinks his eyes in response to verbal commands. He doesn’t do it all the time, but sometimes.”
Small victories, indeed.

Next week will come another challenge and hopefully another win.
Gray will be transported to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, one of the finest rehab facilities in the nation.
Gray is expected to be at Shepherd Center for at least 4 months.
Four months of looking for small victories.

As Grayson’s journey continues, the Trussville community will continue to be there.
Prayer circles, Pray4Gray and P4G signs and decals everywhere.
Baseball players, softball players, athletes and non-athletes alike.
All praying for Gray.

Summertime brings us time to vacation and relax and spend more time with family, but the Pope family’s summer of 2023 is not the summer they expected.

So let’s help Gray and the family by offering them our support.

Let’s pray that the family sees more victories, as small as they may be.

Let’s pray that Grayson Pope can see the biggest win of his life.

*You can help the family by visiting the #Pray4Gray Foundation
*Venmo Code to scan below in pictures
Prayers for Grayson Pope #pray4gray
*All pictures courtesy David Pope

 

[PYSCHO]

Here is an update a friend of mine shared on their Facebook page it was posted by Rick Karle WVTM 13

Small victories.
They come only occasionally, but David and Jamie Pope welcome them.
An entire Alabama community welcomes them, too.
Small victories for a 16-year-old baseball star who is searching for the win of his life.

David and Jamie Pope sit by their son’s hospital bed praying.
It’s been over 3 weeks since the tree came crashing down on the golf cart.
Their son Grayson suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been unconscious since.
Since the day their lives changed, David and Jamie look for victories, however small they may be.

Grayson Pope is such an awesome kid.
A standout baseball player at Hewitt-Trussville High School (AL), he’s already committed to play for the Tennessee Vols.
Life was good just over three weeks ago.
Grayson Pope was a future SEC baseball player.

“We have had some small victories,” Gray’s dad David told me this morning.
“Gray is breathing on his own without a ventilator,” he said.
“He is off sedation.”
“His eyes are open during the day for longer periods of time.”
“He blinks his eyes in response to verbal commands. He doesn’t do it all the time, but sometimes.”
Small victories, indeed.

Next week will come another challenge and hopefully another win.
Gray will be transported to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, one of the finest rehab facilities in the nation.
Gray is expected to be at Shepherd Center for at least 4 months.
Four months of looking for small victories.

As Grayson’s journey continues, the Trussville community will continue to be there.
Prayer circles, Pray4Gray and P4G signs and decals everywhere.
Baseball players, softball players, athletes and non-athletes alike.
All praying for Gray.

Summertime brings us time to vacation and relax and spend more time with family, but the Pope family’s summer of 2023 is not the summer they expected.

So let’s help Gray and the family by offering them our support.

Let’s pray that the family sees more victories, as small as they may be.

Let’s pray that Grayson Pope can see the biggest win of his life.

*You can help the family by visiting the #Pray4Gray Foundation
*Venmo Code to scan below in pictures
Prayers for Grayson Pope #pray4gray
*All pictures courtesy David Pope

What a tough one here. Hopefully he gets right health wise for he is just a kid and starting life.The rest is insignificant baseball wise.

 

[vollygirl]

Here is an update a friend of mine shared on their Facebook page it was posted by Rick Karle WVTM 13

Small victories.
They come only occasionally, but David and Jamie Pope welcome them.
An entire Alabama community welcomes them, too.
Small victories for a 16-year-old baseball star who is searching for the win of his life.

David and Jamie Pope sit by their son’s hospital bed praying.
It’s been over 3 weeks since the tree came crashing down on the golf cart.
Their son Grayson suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been unconscious since.
Since the day their lives changed, David and Jamie look for victories, however small they may be.

Grayson Pope is such an awesome kid.
A standout baseball player at Hewitt-Trussville High School (AL), he’s already committed to play for the Tennessee Vols.
Life was good just over three weeks ago.
Grayson Pope was a future SEC baseball player.

“We have had some small victories,” Gray’s dad David told me this morning.
“Gray is breathing on his own without a ventilator,” he said.
“He is off sedation.”
“His eyes are open during the day for longer periods of time.”
“He blinks his eyes in response to verbal commands. He doesn’t do it all the time, but sometimes.”
Small victories, indeed.

Next week will come another challenge and hopefully another win.
Gray will be transported to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, one of the finest rehab facilities in the nation.
Gray is expected to be at Shepherd Center for at least 4 months.
Four months of looking for small victories.

As Grayson’s journey continues, the Trussville community will continue to be there.
Prayer circles, Pray4Gray and P4G signs and decals everywhere.
Baseball players, softball players, athletes and non-athletes alike.
All praying for Gray.

Summertime brings us time to vacation and relax and spend more time with family, but the Pope family’s summer of 2023 is not the summer they expected.

So let’s help Gray and the family by offering them our support.

Let’s pray that the family sees more victories, as small as they may be.

Let’s pray that Grayson Pope can see the biggest win of his life.

*You can help the family by visiting the #Pray4Gray Foundation
*Venmo Code to scan below in pictures
Prayers for Grayson Pope #pray4gray
*All pictures courtesy David Pope

I just can't imagine. Praying for all of them still.

 

[Freak]

'Power in prayer:' Injured Hewitt baseball star leaves UAB hospital

 

[VolGirl81]

'Power in prayer:' Injured Hewitt baseball star leaves UAB hospital

Wow, he has come a long way! Continued prayers for him.

 

[Volbackhomefromtx]

This is good news. Glad to see a positive update. I will continue to keep this young man in my prayers.

 

[Halph66]

I searched the internet to see if there were any updates for Grayson. There is now a Facebook page. I'm pulling hard for this young man and his family. His progress is incredible.

(3) Facebook

Day 33 @ Shepherd Center
August 20th @ 8:50
What a great weekend filled with lots of fun, smiles, laughter, games, and time with friend and family!

I am in awe of the sweet visitors that take time out of their super busy lives to come love on Gray. I am also in awe of the amount of prayers, phone calls, texts, emails, and MAIL, that’s right mail we get from so many we know and many we have never met! God is so good!! Gray also had several friends join him this morning at church!
No therapy today but we will be back to work tomorrow. Gray is always ready for Monday. He doesn’t like taking days off!
Prayer: tomorrow Gray will have a Neuro Eye Exam! We are also praying this week maybe we can do a swallow test if we can cough on our own!!!! PLEASE pray for Gray to have the strength to cough!!!!!

 

[vollygirl]

I searched the internet to see if there were any updates for Grayson. There is now a Facebook page. I'm pulling hard for this young man and his family. His progress is incredible.

(3) Facebook

Day 33 @ Shepherd Center
August 20th @ 8:50
What a great weekend filled with lots of fun, smiles, laughter, games, and time with friend and family!

I am in awe of the sweet visitors that take time out of their super busy lives to come love on Gray. I am also in awe of the amount of prayers, phone calls, texts, emails, and MAIL, that’s right mail we get from so many we know and many we have never met! God is so good!! Gray also had several friends join him this morning at church!
No therapy today but we will be back to work tomorrow. Gray is always ready for Monday. He doesn’t like taking days off!
Prayer: tomorrow Gray will have a Neuro Eye Exam! We are also praying this week maybe we can do a swallow test if we can cough on our own!!!! PLEASE pray for Gray to have the strength to cough!!!!!

Thank you!

 

[Halph66]

Great news about Grayson!

Day 61 @ Shepherd Center
September 17th @ 7:20

BIG WEEK AT SHEPHERD

This is our last week as “impatient” in a hospital since June 6th! On Friday, Gray will graduate from inpatient therapy to outpatient!
What does this mean??
Weeeeelllll Me, David, and Grayson will move into the Shepherd Resident Housing that they provide at NO CHARGE for 30 days! We get to all be under the same roof at the same time all day! I’ve been sleeping in a fold down chair in the room with Gray since June 6th and I am super excited about a bed!
We will take Gray to outpatient therapy everyday from 8-12/1. They have a great space for David and I to work while Gray is working!
In the afternoon and evenings we will work out in the gym downstairs and get in some swimming finally! We are very excited about this next chapter and ready to see what’s next!
Gray had a few visitors today!
A friend from Tennessee and one from Oxford! Thank you both for taking time out of your day to visit with us!
Coach Mauldin came with a very special “package” today! It was the NEW HTHS Baseball Uniform and guess who got to make the big reveal to his team?!?!? YEP, Grayson Pope! He has been looking forward to this day since Coach Mauldin asked him. We cannot say thank you enough for how special you made Gray feel! You are a blessing!
Lastly, we have had many friends and family LITERALLY walking in our shoes for us since Grays accident! Checking mail, going to the bank, watering flowers, pressure washing our driveway, and the list goes on and on! THANK YOU ALL from the bottom of our hearts and we are here for you whenever you need us!
BIG THANKS to The Mosley’s and Langston Family for mowing our grass every week since June! Your families are AMAZING and a HUGE BLESSING!
BIG THANKS to The Bamberg Family for raising our Knox! I just know he is living his best life with TK, Tripp, Tate, and Ty!
Have a great week!

 

[SpecialKVolfan20]

He looks good!! Continuing prayers.

 

[vollygirl]

Amazing!!! He looks great!!

 

[Halph66]

More fantastic news. I’m not crying, you’re crying. I can’t fathom what this family has overcome.

Day 62 @ Shepherd Center
September 18th @ 9:15

Magnificent Monday

Speech: We take our final barium swallow test in the morning at 9:00! This will determine if we move up a level and stop eating purées. Please help us pray and believe Gray will move up! He has been a trooper eating the puréed food knowing it was strengthening his swallow muscles! As of tonight at 8:00, we are finished with tube feeds!! He should get his peg tube out before we are discharged! Also wanted to share Gray has gained 21.2 of the 42 pounds he lost! To God be the Glory!

PT/OT: Grayson took his final balance test today and scored a 47 out of 56. He is now considered a “low fall risk” while standing! He walked around the garden today and played shuffle board during Rec Therapy! Lastly, he did some walking on the treadmill and asked them if he could try to jog.
YA’LL!
His 1st week of therapy they asked him what his goal was when he left Shepherds and he said run! That sweet buddy did that today and me and Dave cried like a baby! He said, “Wow, that felt really good!”
We will never be able to thank the doctors, nurses, and therapist enough for being AMAZING and loving Grayson! They are all God sent!

Thank you to the Willard’s and Conner’s for the cute Tennessee cup and shirts! You all are the BEST!!!

 

[Halph66]

And the good news keep coming.

Swallow Test Update:

We are moving to level 5 which is moist and minced and she is hoping to try Level 6 before Friday!
Level 6 is chopped!

Another step forward!!!!!

To God be the Glory!

 

[Halph66]

Don’t bet against this young man.

 

[Volbackhomefromtx]

Grayson’s story touches me deeply. I’ve been praying for him since I first heard of his accident. All Glory to God! May Grayson continue his amazing recovery!

 

[vollygirl]

That is amazing!!!!

 

[bigorangepoppa]

If anyone has doubts about the power of prayer, and more importantly, the faith to believe in that power, here's the proof. Our God is faithful to those who believe in Him, and prayer, in faith, believing. May God continue to restore Grayson to complete recovery.

 

[Ttucke11]

Good job young man!

 

[Halph66]

Major strides this week for Grayson. As someone posted, "move those mountains".

Day 65 @ Shepherd Center
September 20th @ 9:35
Speech:
Grayson got to try level 6 today! He did well and they are going to try it again for breakfast! I am praying this is what we leave inpatient on! It looks like real food, not purée or minced!

PT/OT: Gray worked a lot on balance today. Throwing and catching a baseball and football! He also worked on arm and core strength doing exercises on all fours on the mat. He went to the treadmill again today and that sweet buddy jogged some more! He was signed up to swim today, but we have to wait until his feeding tube site heals!

We are very excited about graduating the impatient program on Friday (short 5-10 minute announcement in therapy gym) and beginning the next chapter at pathways!

Thank you, Lord!!!!
To God be the Glory forever!

 

[Halph66]

Day 67 @ Shepherd Pathway
September 22nd @ 10:00

We are OUT OF THE HOSPITAL!!! Praise the Lord! It’s been a great day and Gray has smiled ALL DAY!
Last night when we were talking about today, he said he wanted to WALK out by himself!
GULP…ok buddy you do that!
And he did!!!!
To God be the glory.
Thank you so much to everyone who came today and to those that weren’t able to come! Thank you for your continued support and prayers! Thank you for loving us and believing with us!
Monday starts a new journey and WE ARE HERE FOR IT!

 

[Halph66]

Attention Football Fans:
Auction detailed in this post starts now!!!
*All bids must be in comments on this post*

#pray4gray
🩶

 

[Halph66]

https://fb.watch/nrA_qV7fGs/?mibextid=K8Wfd2

 

[txbo]

https://fb.watch/nrA_qV7fGs/?mibextid=K8Wfd2

Very cool. I was a big Abbott fan.

 

[Halph66]

There have been some major changes as Grayson has transitioned from the hospital (UAB in Birmingham) to Shepherd Pathways (outpatient therapy in Atlanta).

Day 80 @ Shepherd Pathway
October 5th at 8:30
During PT today Gray was back on the vibration board. He did squats and cross body chops while standing and kneeling. They set him up on an app called PT Pal where they put in different exercises for him to do each night when we get home. He also worked on coordination doing different drills with his feet. In OT he worked on fine motor skill activities using his left hand. Picking up small items with pinchers and larger using the whole hand. Also worked with strength puddy. This afternoon we headed back to the hospital to do another treadmill session for an hour. He left there again drenched in sweat and loved every minute of it!
We had a sweet visit with my mom and brother today and they were able to watch Grayson on the treadmill. After we left there we went to dinner and Gray ate 8oz of Salmon and some mashed potatoes. Needless to say his belly is full and he is tired!
We also had a sweet visitor from Oxford too!!!
TGI almost Friday!
We are ready to watch Hewitt beat Thompson!

Day 79 @ Shepherd Pathways
October 4th @ 10:30
Day 8 of Outpatient
Gray started the morning with PT. He warmed up for 20 minutes on the bike then started working those legs! He is still working on coordination and balance so step ups, walking forwards and backwards with obstacles and then walked outside on the side walk. This gave him an uneven terrain to practice walking on as well as distractions from the cars and outside noise.
In rec therapy he played several games that worked on eye/hand coordination and memory. Lastly he had speech where he tried several level 6 foods! He did great and we got cleared to eat chopped meats with gravy or sauce, strawberries, grapes without the skin, cooked/steamed veggies, and several other foods! We still are holding off on breads for now but we are so happy for this next step!
SO HAPPY!

After speech we left Pathways and heading over to the hospital. We get to do the treadmill 2 days a week now! This may be one of Grays favorite thing to do. He leaves with sweat rolling down his face and a wet tshirt!
After treadmill we went to the 2nd floor and visited our Therapy Family that we have missed so much! Gray was SUPER excited to see them and they were so happy to see him! They all commented how much weight he had gained in 2 weeks! We also got to visited some of our friends/neighbors on our hall. We were so thankful to meet this young lady we have been praying for who came to Shepherd right before we left, as well as the family of the gentleman in Grays old room. Shepherds will always hold a special place in our hearts and we will forever be thankful!!!

Day 78 @ Shepherd Pathway
October 3rd @ 8:25
Day 7 of Outpatient
Tuesday started off at 8AM with an extra class we added on! It’s basically modified circuit training. Grayson had to complete 5 stations, one minute each 3 times each.
Station 1: Crunches
Station 2: Glute Bridges
Station 3: Step ups with knee raise
Station 4: Bicep Curls
Station 5: Bird Dogs
After that he headed to Music Therapy where he worked on voice strength and may have sang Rocky Top a couple of times!

OT was next where he worked on coordination and visual multitasking. He also worked on fine motor pinching by picking up marbles, left hand strength with puddy, and visual multitasking by picking up a deck of cards in order by suit colors.
After OT he had his weekly Neuro Psych meeting where they talk about where he is now and really anything Gray wants to talk about. Everyone, including Grayson is working toward independence like he had before his accident.
Please pray with us for Graysons voice to get stronger and his balance/coordination to continue to improve.
He will be trying more Level 6 foods tomorrow! This is big! We are praying his strong tongue and strong swallows will allow him to move up!
Thank you all so much for your support and prayers DAILY! They carry our family more than you know!
We are so thankful!
Can’t wait to see this sweet kiddo back in his baseball uniform on the field!

Day 77 @ Shepherd Pathways
October 2nd @ 9:25
Day 6 of Outpatient
The therapy started first thing this morning. Grayson had 2 PT sessions. In the first he road the bike for 30 minutes using arms and legs. Then walked laps around Pathways going forwards and backwards. After that he hopped on the vibration board and did front and back step ups, as well as, side to side. The vibration of the board helps with the shaking of his legs as he steps up and down. He also worked on his balance and coordination using dots on the floor and the balance rail.
During rec therapy he got to play Skip Bo! Nice little body rest after PT!
I wanted to thank a few people tonight for their prayers, support and generosity!
Mr. Turner and his family for the beautiful TN artwork and goodie bag!
Mrs. Cornelius and their family for the Team Building book!
Major League Baseball pitcher, Jim Abbot for the encouraging video and signed baseball! If you don’t know his story you should look it up! Wow, just WOW!