Matt Roloff Wrestles With Dwarfism

Mike: Matt Roloff stands just over 4 feet tall and suffers from the most debilitating form of dwarfism. Matt recalls spending much of his childhood in and out of various hospitals.

Matt: Since the time I was born, I had lots of orthopedic-type problems, club feet, my knees were very contracted, all my joints had, basically, some form of deformity or difficulty. From as early as I can remember, I can remember being literally wrenched away from my mother and checked into a hospital and into a crib, and forced to undergo lengthy operations and lengthy recovery periods. Back in those days, back in the 1960's, your folks could only visit you one or two days a week, I think it was Sunday and Tuesday, and they'd have to take turns, and get a little slip, and I'd be in the hospital many weeks, and maybe months, at a time. It's not like today, where you have your surgery and then you are out the next day. Back then you were in there for awhile. I have many happy memories, but also a lot of very fearful memories of not having my folks. I feel so bad, and then I think about what I had to go through with my mom, you know it wasn't just an hour, it was like four days. And so those were some trying times, but we made it through and we're out the other side, and things have gone considerably better in the second part of my life.

Mike: In spite of his handicap, Matt has built a successful business and a comfortable life for his wife and four children. He gives credit for that success to his strong faith.

Matt: I believe negative experiences absolutely built strong character, and they strengthen your faith and they strengthen your resolve and your resilience. Amy, my wife, will sometimes frown and look down at me when something bad happens, and I think, 'Hey, they is great, this is fun, this is challenging. How are we going to get out of this mess?' To me, that's the fun, the spice of life. I frequently talk to Amy about the story of Job, and how God could take all this away, you know; he could take the house or, heaven forbid, he could take the kids or my wife; things could turn bad. I still believe that I would absolutely believe in the Lord and believe that it is part of his plan and have, not a cheery attitude if it was losing part of my family, but I believe that losing my farm and my job would be challenges that I would not only rise to the occasion of, but would think of as opportunities. Opportunities to serve the Lord. I remember my dad used to say that anytime he would smash his finger with the hammer, he'd say, 'Oops, that's an opportunity to serve the Lord!' No matter what would happen, he'd say it was an opportunity to serve the Lord, and once he'd taken on as a challenge like that, I think it can really shape your direction and your motivation and your attitude and the way that people perceive you and the way you perceive yourself. I believe that's just the way God has designed us.

 

Patt Scott's Nightmare

Mike: Patt Scott has lived a nightmare that the rest of us can only pray that we won't have to endure.

Patt: My husband and I had just gone out for an evening of shopping and out to dinner. As we were returning home, and pulled into the driveway of our home, I exited my side of the car, and as I did so, a man grabbed me around the neck, put a gun in my face, and demanded my jewelry. I readily gave him my jewelry and then he pushed my out onto the driveway where, by that time, my husband was standing, and he demanded my husband's wallet and his jewelry. Almost simultaneously with that demand, the clip fell from his weapon, and bullets fell all over that driveway. The gunman ran over and scooped up the clip and I think a few of the bullets, and he turned around and charged toward my husband, and I heard that loud cracking sound of the gun discharging and my husband dropped to the ground. Technically, my husband lived for 14 hours, but he never regained consciousness. The gunman ran, and I ran the opposite direction to get a neighbor to call 9-1-1.

Mike: Is it possible to ever be prepared for such an overwhelming tragedy? Patt Scott and her daughter, Michelle Tucker, both say that it is possible.

Patt: There is a level on which you can. I believe that we can grow in our relationship and our trust with God, and that is preparation for a storm, in itself. That served me so well. There are other traits that we can put in our lives; traits that actually are suggested in scripture, like self-control, and being optimistic, and having tenacity and perseverance; those are things that will really serve us well when the storms do come.

Michelle: We both felt like we had been especially prepared by God to carry the burden we were asked to carry. But it was very frightening as well because, not only had I lost my dad, but I was afraid I might also emotionally lose my mother. It wouldn't have been unheard of for her to have serious emotional trouble. People that have guns held to their heads, that's emotionally a very hard thing, but she never even had a nightmare, and so we were really fortunate. All I can tell you is, almost in a very surreal way; it was almost as if every step of every day, we were cared for by God. And there were ways that we could see that God was taking care of us, even as we were taking one step at a time.

Mike: Our thanks to sister ministry 'Herald of Truth' for allowing us to make the Scott's story a part of the series 'Safe Harbor'.

 

Marcy Gibson Contracts ALS

Mike: In 1992, Marcy Gibson was a beautiful, healthy young woman with a talent for gymnastics. So much so that Marcy taught gymnastics at a local academy and was also a member of a state university cheerleading squad. But then, Marcy's world began to crumble.

Marcy: I started noticing a bit of pain in my elbows in September of 1992, and I just starting coaching at a different gym, and I was working more hours, so I just thought I was getting used to lifting the girls since we do a lot of hands-on spotting. The rest of that year, I was also cheerleading at UT Arlington, and it was up and down pretty bad, because I was a pretty strong tumbler. There would be days when a back-handspring would be the hardest thing to do, and there would be other days I could whip out five, so it was very up and down. I thought I was just getting old; I'd get stronger and then I'd get weaker. Then the summer of 1993, I went to cheerleading camp, and after that I decided it was time to go to the doctor, I knew that there was something wrong.

Mike: After a number of tests, the doctor's diagnosis was ALS, a degenerative neurological malady, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. The progress of ALS is slow, but terminal. Victims of the disease slowly lose control of their muscles, beginning with the extremities. Strangely, Marcy said she had an early premonition that life had something unusual in store for her.

Marcy: Well, I always thought that there was something different in my life. Somehow my life was going to be different, even back in fourth and fifth grade. So I really felt like something clicked and said, 'This is how your life is going to be different.' This is where your journey begins. And I just accepted that as 'This is your process'. And it really wasn't that hard to adjust to it. The first year was the hardest, with ups and downs and trying to find new ways to do things, new ways to get dressed.

Mike: At present, Marcy has lost most of the use of her limbs, and is using a wheelchair, but she is still able to hold herself erect, still able to speak and breathe on her own. What must it be like to have your young, healthy, vibrant body betray you so cruelly? Where would you find the faith to face each new day's decline? Marcy Gibson is a person of faith who looks to Jesus Christ for her strength and inspiration.

Marcy: I try to be like Him as much as I can. I want Him to look at me and go, 'I'm proud of Marcy'. And it doesn't matter…you know, we all get wrapped up in trying to please everyone else. Are we doing the right thing? Are we fitting in? It's just not important. I just need to go, 'Is Jesus proud of me?' And that's just all that matters.

Mike: Marcy also looks to her devoted friends, Sherrie and Molly. The pair actively participate in Marcy's care, feeding, bathing, dressing. Even the smallest tasks require assistance. In spite of the difficulties, both say that Marcy is an inspiration, not a burden.

Sherrie: Marcy carries a lot of strength, a lot of courage and she's quite an example that God has set in my life. To see how I deal with everyday struggles, and I can take my struggles that I have, and I look at her and she gives me a lot of hope, and a lot of faith, and her faith is contagious.

Molly: I just look at her and she makes me proud. I love that she lives to make Jesus proud. I've just learned so much from her, she's a blessing!

Mike: While Marcy Gibson can still speak, she does so as often as she can, reminding young people like herself what is and isn't important in life.

Marcy: In your early 20's, everybody is so wrapped up in appearance and fitting in and having friends. And I know it's important to have friends, but what you look like and how you dress is not the most important. And I got wrapped up in that, I mean, I was a cheerleader; I had to have the perfect little body. No, it's not worth it. It's not worth it, it's not that important. Be happy with yourself, it's important what you look like on the inside. I know that's kind of corny to say, but it's true!

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