This is such a great story I thought I’d share with you. For those of you who don’t know this, I was severly injured in 2004, when a motorcycle ran me down while I was out walking in my neighborhood near my home. My recovery and rehab took place at Craig Hospital in Denver. Without the extraordinary work of the specialists at Craig, I wouldn’t be here today doing what I love to do. Through dark days, I began to recover. My neuropyschologist, Dr Jim Berry challenged me one day to a pick a place in the world I always wanted to photograph and do it within a year of the accident. I chose the Great Wall of China. My research gave me two options,
Bandeling and Mutianyu, both within a couple of hours from Beijing. Searching through guide books and the internet I found Bandeling was closer and more easily accessible, but more commercial. So I chose Mutianyu. Pictures I could find on the web showed rolling hills. I left Craig Thanksgiving week of 2004, going home on a walker, occassional wheel chair and crutches. Thank you Dr. Alan Weintraub for your extraordinary work in healing me. By Christmas it was all cane. Further research informed me that it was alot of steps to the top, perhaps as many as 1,000. So I began to climb steps, first ten, then fifty and finally by the summer in Steamboat, 500. I booked the trip in September, my good friend John Steineger would join me. John and I had previously journeyed to Cambodia and Thailand together. After a long miserable flight we arrived in Beiing.
We spent the first day checking out some of the sights in the city, we had dinner and early to bed for the next day would be our trek up the wall. We awoke to pouring rain at 3 AM. After slight hesitation we began getting ready for our car and driver, who met us just before 4 AM. Through the rain we headed for the wall, where we arrived just after 5 AM. The rain had stopped for all but a very light drizzle. We found the beginning of the steps in the dark. It was very foggy,
and all we could see was a few of the steps that disappeared into the fog. A very erie sight. Looking at the steps, I could see they were big. My heart sank, since they seemed larger than a normal step and I knew I had only done 500 previously.
John looked at me and said “C’mon Andy, we’ve come all this way”. And so with can in hand, we climbed and we climbed, passing 500. How could I possibly not continue, the Great Wall of China was getting closer with every step. After 792, we made it at last to the top. The fog was still thick, but we were there. Sunrise might happen at any time, it was 6 AM. As we stood on the Wall in awe I could see the ball of the sun rising through the mist. I said to John, who was facing me,” look”. He turned to me and said, “no, you look, Andy”. I turned around and saw glorious peaks shining with the first light of day. Later I read that John had written in his diary “Andy was in Heaven”. Within 15 minutes, I fired off 5 rolls of film. I was so blessed with an amazing sunrise, and so came the picture “Journey of A Lifetime”.
Four plus years later,on March 5th, Craig Hospital honored me as their featured artist at their annual Push Dinner. This is their major fundraiser event of the year.
Due to my show in Charlotte, NC, I was unable to attend, but my beloved wife, Teresa, and our friend, Kim, were able to attend. They sat at the same table with none other than Dr. Jim Berry. “Journey of A Lifetime” was used on their beautiful invitation and program. A 30 x 40 canvas of the photo was auctioned off for the hospital, and who got to take the piece home ? Non other than Dr. Jim Berry, which personally
thrilled me beyond words, coming full circle. Thank you, Craig Hospital, for the amazing work you do for all who suffer from brain injury. Thank you for making me whole, again.