RICHMOND COUNTY – Hunter Lyerly is less than 11 months old, but he has already had a significant effect on Richmond County. And his parents hope to extend this impact even further.
The Lyerly family went through an ordeal last March that no parents should ever have to experience – their newborn son Hunter had both of his lungs collapse shortly after birth. He subsequently “flat lined” but was revived and put on a life flight to UNC Hospital where he staged a miraculous recovery within two weeks of time. His parents, Kim and James, were housed at the Ronald McDonald House for the duration.
Of course, there was a tremendous degree of help, support and medical expertise provided to Hunter and his family throughout this extremely stressful period. Kim had undergone a difficult caesarian-section in giving birth to Hunter, so she, too, was still under medical care at the time.
The staff at both UNC Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House tended to every need the Lyerlys encountered. James was making roundtrip drives of 200 miles almost daily to maintain his employment and provide some semblance of normalcy for their daughters, while Kim remained at the RMH.
Friends such as Elizabeth Entwistle Lowery were also there to offer support and assistance in helping the Lyerlys. Although Lowery could not always be there in person, she was with Kim and James in spirit and voice daily, offering encouragement and hope on a continual basis. It was this type of support that provided Kim with a degree of “closeness” that would have otherwise been absent so far from home in such a stressful situation.
James and Kim wish to express very deeply how appreciative they are for all of the support that they have received during Hunter’s journey. Kim hopes no one thinks that they are just saying “look at us” or “look at Hunter” but rather will begin to look at what God has done, and is doing, in their lives and through Hunter to reach others. She stresses that, “I know now that God was preparing us then, even though we didn’t see it.”
The Lyerlys are truly thankful for all that was done for them. So thankful, in fact, that they have taken it upon themselves to “give back” to UNC Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House in Chapel Hill.
They initiated the “Help Hunter Help Others” (H3O) project as a way to generate funds and donations to be delivered to those facilities in Chapel Hill on Saturday, March 18, one day after Hunter’s first birthday.
It is this type of a positive spirit mindset that the Lyerlys hope to now facilitate throughout Richmond County and beyond.
“That is what people need to know when they donate,” said Kim. “They are helping others feel loved.”
With the sponsorship provided by Chris and Ashley Turner, owners of Twisted Treats in the Plaza Shopping Center, the Lyerlys have set up a “donation station” for H3O inside the eatery. Persons are encouraged to contribute at any time during regular operating hours. Items of greatest value to UNC Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House are baby essentials, toys, blankets and toiletries for adults.
Hunter’s H3O Challenge is not only about donating but also helping to educate others.
“We all need to realize that things can happen and that anything can change when least expected,” says Kim. “You never know when you will need that help.”
While at UNC, Kim and James saw other parents and patients “going through all kinds of battles” in the Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care units. It made them realize just how significant the term “healthy baby” actually is.
“We never take for granted the times we get to change his diaper or hold him or hug him or simply hear him cry,” says Kim.
As emphasis, she cites the first photograph ever taken of Hunter.
“All I ever wanted to do since his birth is in that picture – to hold and love on him,” she said.
The results of H3O are rapidly becoming apparent. A couple who just happened to have stopped in for ice cream noticed the “donation station” placard and related their own story: they had been told that their daughter would never walk, yet she recovered and is now fully ambulatory. They made a donation in her name to H3O.
Only ten days into the projected eight week duration, the “Help Hunter Help Others” project has generated $160 in cash, over $600 in gift cards, five large totes of items, and miscellaneous materials dropped into the gift box. Kim also acknowledges the many notes and words of encouragement that have been deposited to be forwarded to the patients and parents at UNC.
Twisted Treats is located at 1305 East Broad Avenue, Rockingham, in the Plaza Shopping Center. They open daily at 12 noon, closing at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Call 910-410-8111 or visit on Facebook at TwistedTreatsNC.
