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Amy, can we use this on bottom of front page????

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Last week, James Appleyard walked across the stage at Newtown High School to

receive his diploma. Soon, he'll begin his freshman year studying landscape

design at SUNY Cobleskil.

For James, it's a long way from 1987, when a bicycle vs car accident nearly

cost him his life. His comeback has been remarkable.

On July 17, 1987, James' life began a new chapter when he was struck by a car

while riding his bicycle near his home on Hattertown Road. He was 10 at the

time and had just finished third grade.

"I used to ride my bike all the time," James said earlier this week. "On that

day, I remember I was headed to my friend's house on Boggs Hill Road. I

remember heading down my driveway but everything else is blank after that."

What occurred has changed his life forever.

James' mother, Judy, watched proudly as her son rolled down the driveway about

to pull onto the road that summer afternoon. Out of the corner of her eye, she

noticed a rapidly moving vehicle approaching the Appleyard's driveway, around

a blind curve. She saw what was coming, but was unable to warn her son in

time.

James' bicycle slammed into the side of the car, tossing the boy onto the hood

of the car. As the vehicle came to a screeching halt, James was thrown off,

landing head first on the pavement and crushing his forehead.

James sustained serious brain injuries and doctors could not guarantee his

survival.

For a month and a half, James lay motionless in a coma at Danbury Hospital.

Doctors were unable to give the Appleyards a prognosis. In most brain

injuries, the impact of the accident forces the brain to slam into the skull,

forming lesions, which are like small strokes. That part of the brain dies.

With children, doctors often have difficulty determining how the brain will

respond, but chances of a recovery are much better in young people.

When James finally came to, he was transported to Newington Children's

Hospital for further rehabilitation. It was there that he made his most

important progress.

Already suffering some learning problems and a form of dyslexia, the accident

magnified those problems, leaving him with a short-term memory loss.

Nevertheless, James persevered. He was forced to learn everything from

scratch, including the simple task of tying his shoes. To this day, he

remembers nothing of the accident or of Danbury Hospital.

By October, James, using a wheelchair, was back at Head O' Meadow School, but

whether or not he'd be able to keep up with his classmates was still to be

determined.

While James realized his head injury was likely to be with him for the

remainder of his life, he was determined to make the most of his situation.

Hindered by a right leg that is unable to develop muscle, he worked harder

than ever before. He spent his afternoons in rehabilitation at DATAHR, and

soon, though somewhat limited in his movement, had achieved his number one

goal: to be able to do what everyone else could do.

"I guess I just had the will to go on," he said. "Today, I can do everything I

could do prior to my accident, I just can't do them as well."

Prior to his accident, James was enrolled in special education and continues

to be. He has been a consistent member of the NHS honor roll, once even

attaining high honors.

His accomplishments have been an inspiration to both his family, his friends

and his teachers.

"Jimmy, in his own way, is really a hero," noted NHS guidance counselor Don

Elliott. "He is an outstanding young man for all that he has been able to

accomplish."

For his hard work, James received this year's Superintendent's Award, handed

out annually for student accomplishment based on ability. The Newtown

resident, who is in the process of starting his own landscaping business, also

received scholarships from the garden and horticulture clubs.

In presenting James with the Principal's Award for social studies, his

teachers credited him for his many admirable qualities.

"Throughout his four years at Newtown High School, Jim has consistently

demonstrated the courage to dream, the willingness to work, the determination

to persevere, and the ability to succeed," the social studies teachers wrote.

Though unable to play his favorite sport of hockey, James managed to turn his

interests toward other activities. He soon became a standout pool and ping

pong player, even starting his own small ping pong team at the high school. He

has also become an avid fisherman, casting in his line whenever he gets the

chance.

Just a couple of years ago, James began to run for the first time since the

accident.

The young man credits the help of his family in being able to move forward.

With the support of his mother, sisters, Amy, 24, and Sarah, 21, and father,

James, who now lives in Washington, James knew he'd make it.

James' mother, who served as a substitute teacher in the Newtown school for

eight years, said the accident came at a time when she was going through a

divorce, making the traumatic experience even that much more trying. Judy

credits the assistance of the Newtown school system, in particular, the help

of Barbara Krell, who was a special education teacher at HOM at the time of

the accident, and by chance, ended up at the high school later on in James'

schooling.

"He's one wonderful kid," Mrs Krell explained. "He's one of those kids who

goes after everything. He works so hard."

Mrs Krell said an indicator of James' character is in the many friends he has

in school.

"He looks for the best in everyone. No matter what someone says about another

students, James always finds something nice to say about that person," the

teacher noted.

James admits there were times when he'd ask himself, ~Why me? but for the most

part, shrugged off feeling sorry for himself in order to move on.

"I decided to take it one day at a time. The more progress I saw, the more

will I had to go on," he said.

"Jimmy's known by his teachers as a low key kid with a nice sense of humor. He

sort of took what had happened to him in stride," his mother explained.

Born prematurely, James spent his early days struggling to survive at Yale New

Haven Hospital.

"Maybe that was the beginning of his learning to take things in stride," she

figured.

It's been a long journey for James and the Appleyard family. They hope James'

toughest days are behind him.

"There are only so many hurdles in life you can jump over," noted his mom.

If any one can overcome those hurdles, it's James Appleyard.