4 minute read
STEPPING FORWARD, LOOKING BACK
Everyone wants to know what the next chapter of a story holds, so Joy of Medina County Magazine checked in with the Painting family, Lieutenant Dan and Alexis Willard to learn what has changed in their lives.
If you are not familiar with the original stories, they are available at https://bit.ly/2REqYPn or, if you are seeing this as a digital copy, click on the cover photo for the feature story you would like to read. by Amy Barnes
Tables were turned on the life-saving Painting family when they found some of their own members needed life-saving help.
When the Del and Jeannette Painting family’s story was featured, a part of the story focused on just a few of the many times coincidence had led to them being in the right place at the right time to save the lives of others who would have died without their efforts.
In a dramatic turnaround over the last several months, the family has found that they needed to pull together to help family members Alex Nelson, Del, Mark Nelson, and Randy Demchak.
A year ago, 29-year-old Alex, Del and Jeannette’s granddaughter and Dawn’s daughter, was treated for lesions on her liver. Then Del had heart surgery to implant a bovine heart valve because his own valve had calcified.
Meanwhile, Mark, husband of Dawn, Del and Jeannette’s daughter, was suffering from extensive complications from dialysis and cancer that necessitated constant care. He was scheduled for heart surgery but because of the complications he was battling, which included heart blockages caused by the dialysis, surgeons were reluctant to attempt the surgery.
Dr. David Taylor, a longtime and internationally recognized Cleveland Clinic cardiologist, said he would undertake the challenge of saving Mark. While Mark is still battling numerous health issues, the heart surgery was successful.
In an unfortunate turn of events, the 60-year-old doctor who saved Mark’s life died a few months later from complications caused by influenza.
Whitney, another of Del and Jeanette’s daughters, married Randy Demchak as planned, soon after the original story published. However, he broke his wrist and is in need of a hip replacement.
As if the health challenges did not keep the family busy enough, there also was the little matter of a hurricane in Florida that damaged the family’s house there, making it necessary to replace the house’s roof and clean up the damage caused by the storm.
There is not much that will slow or stop a Painting family member from doing good, but the COVID-19 shutdown forced them to temporarily stop their Wednesday trips on the Strongsville United Methodist Church blue-and-white bus to Cleveland to deliver hot meals and clothes to those in need.
At press time, the family was working to find a way to get back to delivering the weekly meals.
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Another change since their story published is that they have partnered with Wednesday’s Child (https:// bit.ly/2Z52mDR) to help provide clothing to Akron teens in need.
They still accept donations at their Firemark Insurance office, which moved from Center Road in Brunswick to 1676 Pearl Road, Brunswick.
Even the office move posed extra challenges. For an insurance company, one of the busiest times of the year is when Medicare enrollment opens on October 15. The family started moving its insurance office to the Pearl Road location on October 14, 2019, because that was how the timing worked out with their lease at their former office and the closing on the purchase of the new Pearl Road office.
Since the move, they have been doing building renovations and property improvements at their new location.
Despite all of the challenges they have been facing, they have never paused in their efforts to help the community.
“Kitten Courageous”
Lieutenant Dan, the official morale officer and comedy relief at Wadsworth Veterinary Hospital, was featured in July 2018. He was the magazine’s first and, so far, only cover cat.
He is the cat who would not give up, despite being shot and deserted by his original rescuers. With the help of many loving hands, including those of Drs. Cynthia and Dane Arends, he went from injured and deserted to inspiring others to overcome obstacles.
While the COVID-19 shutdown has caused the vet practice to offer only curbside care to patients, Lt. Dan has not had the pleasure of greeting office visitors, especially his favorite: other cats.
At 11 years old, he remains in good health, despite the heart condition that curtailed his ability to visit schools and senior citizen centers.
Go to the original story about Lt. Dan to see photos and a video of Lt. Dan in action.
Alexis Willard, a former soap box derby champion who rose to become second nationally and fifth in world competition, was inspired to major in neuroscience because of an accident her father had.
She is attending DePaul University in Chicago, as she had planned, but after deciding neuroscience was not for her and a brief change to an English major, she is now studying animation with a concentration in storyboarding and character design. She was accepted into the program after an advisor viewed examples of her artwork. Willard also is interested in 3D modeling and design.
Another change in Willard’s life was a break up with her boyfriend of almost two years who lives in Sweden and whom she met through social media. He had visited her in the U.S. often, but it was after she visited him in Sweden that she came to realize he was not the one for her.
She is looking forward to pursuing her new career and enjoying the rest of her college years.
