Profile by christopher lanman

Be All a profile of Grant

by Christopher Wingate Lanman

G

rant Beall is a sixteen-year-old water polo player that excels in athletics and academics, while facing daily obstacles that would overwhelm most of us. From the time Grant was born, he was always sick. Whether it was constant ear infections or cold sores that never went away, Grant was constantly run down and fighting illness. One day when Grant was five years old, he developed a horrible pain in his leg. When he complained to his parents about the pain, they looked at it and noticed that his leg was beginning to turn black.

Immediately, they rushed Grant to the hospital to have him examined, but none of the doctors could figure out what was wrong. The doctors at Stanford Hospital gave Grant medication, but the infection was unresponsive and it continued to grow up his leg. In what would have been his final moments on earth, Grant’s aunt, an emergency room nurse at El Camino Hospital, saved his life. In the nick of time, she diagnosed the infection, necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh eating disease that was literally eating Grant alive. After three surgeries to remove the infection, which progressively resulted in the loss of more and more of his limb, Grant’s leg was amputated almost to his hip. The doctors finally diagnosed the underlying condition that allowed this horrible infection to eat away at Grant’s flesh, cyclic neutropenia. This rare genetic disorder causes an underproduction of white blood cells, making the immune system extremely weak and constantly susceptible to recurrent bacterial infections. Despite his illness and his amputation, Grant sets an example for all of us.

Grant is an elite competitor because he transcends his own physical challenges as well as others’ expectations of him. Grant has had many reasons to give up, but it’s his fighting spirit that allows him to get back up when he is told he cannot do something. After losing his leg when he was just five, Grant would forever be labeled as “disabled”. But how can one label Grant as handicapped, if he can do everything just as well as a person with four limbs? Grant is an inspiring individual who goes to great lengths to give himself the best opportunities possible. Not only does Grant push himself to be the best he can be, but he also enhances everyone that he interacts with. This admirable trait, something no one I have ever met possesses, is why every person that knows Grant, loves him. Grant has an undeniable charisma that draws people to him and in exchange he gives them something tangibly inspiring.

After spending his entire childhood in Fremont California, and going to the local high school that his three older brothers attended, Grant took it upon him self to move to Los Altos. When I asked Grant why he decided to move, he said that his future would be much brighter at Los Altos. He told me that his grades were slipping at his old school and that he needed a better education to help himself excel in academics in order to get into a good college. Not many people his age would make a decision like this. Anyone who knows Grant can clearly see he is very mature for his age. One could accredit his maturity to being the youngest of four boys, but there are several other reasons Grant has had to grow up so quickly. Grant faced adversity at such a young age, that he adapted quickly to become an extremely independent person. Although he only has one leg, Grant makes it a point to accept as little help from others as possible. For instance, the first time we ever went out to lunch I offered to help carry his food tray, but Grant insisted that he do it himself. He creates challenges and goals to keep stretching his boundaries whether it is in mountain biking down the steep terrain of double black diamond ski runs or competing to be a top water polo player. Grant aspires to experience everything life has to offer and embrace it completely. He is an intuitive, thoughtful person who has a deeply reflective personality. Grant has the ability to look at situations, understand what needs to be done and find a way to make it work. I believe he will be very successful in his adult life because he has the ability to connect with people on a personal level and inspire them to be their best selves. It may be too soon to tell, but from the looks of it, Grant will likely be a great father, too.

After an interview with Grant we decided to go inside and watch some old footage from when Grant was very little. As I played the first DVD I noticed that Grant was just three years old and had both of his legs. As we watched the video, I saw this deep expression on Grant’s face. I could not exactly figure out what was wrong with him or why he was lost in the video as we watched it. Finally a clip came on of Grant running on the beach and he bit his lip. I asked Grant if he was all right. He looked over at me, paused and said, “Yes”. Then, he looked down at the ground and said, “You don’t understand. I’ve never seen this footage before. I’ve never seen myself with two legs.” I tried to respond to what Grant had said, but it was all incomprehensible to me. I was dumbfounded.

Never before had I see something so deeply emotional and bizarrely out of the realm of my experience. He wasn’t sad, but he was in awe of his child self running around on the screen with two legs. Grant explained, “I have absolutely no memory of ever having two legs!” He said he was so happy to see it for the first time.

However, what really fascinated me was when we got to a clip of Grant on Christmas morning. In the video, we see 3 year-old Grant opening a present and just before the video reveals what Grant’s present was, Grant said, “Stop the video!” I paused the footage and he proceeded to say, “I remember that present, it’s a bike. My first bike.” I hit “play”, and there it was, a brand new bicycle. But, how did Grant know that? This was the first time Grant had seen any footage of himself before his surgery. The ketamine, a powerful drug he had taken during his amputation, had wiped his memory clean. It was miraculous that somehow

he remembered what that gift was and yet, it was so devastating to see that Grant had been stripped of five years of memories that he may never recover.

If I had to describe Grant Beall with one word, I would say mature. As the youngest of four boys, Grant knows how to make the right decisions for himself.

After two years at Washington High School, in Fremont, California, Grant decided it was time to move. According to Grant, he was excelling athletically at Washington High, but he was not academically: “I kept asking myself, how can I be inspiring to people if I am not doing well in school and giving myself

the best chance to go to a fouryear college?” It was after Grant realized he might be limiting his opportunities at his old school that he decided to transfer to Los Altos High School. Since he would be transferring going into his junior year, he knew it would not be easy. However, Grant decided that no matter how hard it would be, it was worth it to give himself the best chance to go to college: “The first month at Los Altos was very difficult as I had to commute an hour from Fremont, until my dad and I moved into our new apartment.”

After a little over two months at Los Altos, Grant has already seen a difference in his life at his new school. Grant says, “I am fortunate to be a part of the elite water polo team here at Los Altos and my grades are significantly better than they were at Washington, thanks to the help of great teachers that are making my learning experience better than it ever was before.” Not only has Grant’s decision to transfer schools made a huge impact on him, but also on his family: “None of my brothers have gone to college or finished college, so this could be a very big deal for my family and me if I get in to a four year college.”

Grant would like to attend a prestigious four year college where he would like to get a nursing degree. After having his life saved by a nurse, his aunt, Grant feels as though it is his life’s duty to save others lives, by being at the front line of the medical field as a nurse. Grant also has aspirations of bringing water polo to the Paralympics. Simultaneously, while trying to bring water polo to the Paralympics and getting his nursing degree, Grant would like to do all that he can to be able to run once again.

Grant Beall is a humorous, outgoing, bright individual who believes in making the most of what he can be. He encourages not only himself, but also others, to push themselves to maximize their potential. Grant says, “Probably my message to everyone is…Be all you can be!”