The day I got to meet Hunter James Thorell looked like just any other ordinary day. It was a Tuesday; I sluggishly drug myself into work, got started on my day. I made arrangements with Susan, his mother, to meet them at 11am. I had gotten Hunter’s name from a co-worker who said he was a pretty special kid and I wanted to meet him for myself.
As I walked in, I spotted a good-looking kid sitting next to his mother and as he saw me, he looked at her smiling and said, “I knew it!” He had evidently spotted me in the parking lot and pegged me as the lady looking to write his story.
As I sat down in this space filled with people, I couldn’t help but notice how Hunter filled the room. Big, brown eyes and a huge smile made everything else there seem a little less important, less captivating. I watched as Hunter lovingly looked at his mom, put his arms around her, leaned against her as we talked. It was like they had their own love language. I felt like I was receiving a gift by witnessing a bond so special.
These two have been through some things together. Hunter was born with Scoliosis and 5 fused ribs, which caused complications with his lungs. He also has Factor 5 Blood Disorder, which causes a thickness in the blood, and a tendency for clotting. Hunter had a stroke when he was about a year and a half old and has been having back surgeries approximately every six months as he is growing.
Hunter told me about and pointed to the two rods in his back and showed me pictures of the back braces he has had to wear.
As we talked about the challenges that Hunter has had to face in his 10 years, there was never a frown, never a sad face or a lack of excitement about life. We talked about surgeries and pain meds in the same sentence as video games and a special girl in his life.
It’s all just a part of his “ordinary life.” “He’s just a regular kid,” says Mom Susan.
Hunter gushed as he told me about his three year old little brother Heath, his dog “Champ” and a cat named “Oopsie.” He loves camping, swimming, football and basketball.
He likes listening to music from artists: Jason Derulo, Sugarland, and Eminem. Hunter played the Viola last year, was on Student Council and helped with the River City clean up. He loves spending time with his grandparents, skateboarding and eating watermelon and chicken nuggets. His favorite car is a Mustang; he
plans to own one when he is older.
Hunter also loves spending time and playing basketball and football with Susan’s fiancé, Larry.
Hunter is in his last year of Cub Scouts. Mom Susan is a Cubmaster and says Hunter loves being active in Scouts, even volunteers his time to groups that he is not in. Susan said, “Hunter has a big heart, he interacts with all of the kids. He has a lot of friends and I’ve noticed is conscious of including everyone, bringing in kids that others may have left out.”
I said to Hunter, “You had a rough start, that must mean there are great big things in front of you.” He flashed a big smile at me and nodded. I told him I could see how special his mother was to him, he looked at her and put his arms around her, as if words weren’t needed. Even I could see exactly what that hug meant.
Hunter said that he has a lot of support from friends and family and it means so much to him to have that support. Susan added that the Shriner’s Hospital in Minnesota has been wonderful to them and where they know them by name. Hunter said he isn’t scared by hospitals and that he just had surgery six weeks ago. He said he doesn’t take pain meds because he doesn’t like the taste. I asked him what he would say to other kids who maybe were sick or had to go to the hospital, he looked me straight in the eye and said, “You don’t have to be afraid, It’s all gonna be ok.”
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