Stepping Forward with Cole & Patience

Stepping Forward with Cole & Patience

Cole Ingrum, a student at Celina O’Dell Elementary School, was in terrible accident 2 days before Christmas in 2017. Cole was struck by a truck, and care-flighted to Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth. He underwent immediate surgery and, unfortunately, the bottom part of his right leg was so severely damaged that it had to be amputated. In a split second, their families lives were forever changed.

Fast forward to today and Cole is an energetic, vibrant young boy with a witty sense of humor who loves to play football.

O’Dell principal Stacy Ceci and counselor Ruth Ann Patrick were speaking with Cole’s mother, Carolyn, last spring and Ceci mentioned that her daughter had gone to college with Patience Beard. Carolyn knew exactly who Patience Beard was as they had watched her success story at Scottish Rite hospital, where Cole was being treated.

Patience was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency, a non-hereditary disease of the hip and femur bone that leaves one leg shorter than the other. Her case was severe enough to require amputation of her left leg before her first birthday, and another surgery in the third grade that left her in a full body cast for eight months.

With her parents encouragement, and a great deal of self-confidence, Patience began gymnastics at age four and joined her first

cheerleading squad in seventh grade. Patience went on to try out for the University of Arkansas cheer squad…and made it!

Upon graduating from the University of Arkansas, Patience moved to Arizona and took up competitive adaptive snowboarding. She advanced to the finals after placing 1st in the Giant Slalom women’s adaptive snowboard category.

As Ceci and Patrick spoke to Carolyn, they mentioned that Patience did motivational speaking now. They discussed at some point bringing Patience out to speak at the school.

Last month, Patience flew into Celina and shared her story with the students and faculty at O’Dell Elementary.

Patience told the students, “We all face obstacles in our lives but you have to work hard and go for those dreams, no matter how farfetched they may seem at the time.”

After the presentation, Cole and his family were able to meet with Patience one-on-one to compare funny stories and encouraging words. Before she left, Patience asked to pray with Cole, Carolyn and Caden, Cole’s brother.

“It was truly such a blessing to meet her, and I left feeling like surely God had orchestrated the whole thing. It is my deep hope to we are able to one day do for a family what she did for us yesterday,” said Carolyn.