Bus Garage

I think Bryden is a magnet to good men and women all around the world. One of these good men became a sweet friend to Bryden. They met when Bryden was watching or as he prefers to say, "coaching" his niece at a middle school basketball game and Erich's daughter was on the same team.  From that day on, Erich has been a special friend to Bryden.  When Bryden was getting ready for employment, he didn't even have to look for a job, Erich told him he wanted whenever he was ready to work. 

Erich Weight is the director of transportation at North Thurston Public Schools. He hired Bryden to do janitorial work at the bus garage. He and Erich are best buds!

We paid a surprise visit to drop off the t-shirts they had ordered.

Everyone was so happy to see Bryden.  

I think Erich and Bryden could have been brothers! They have the same big hearts and smiles!

Bryden could no longer go to work because of his demand for oxygen 24/7 and his lack of portability. When Erich and the the staff at the transportation department heard about Bryden, they jumped in to help. 

Kristin and Alicia (Bryden's real boss) are darling with him.

(And as you can see above, his oxygen isn't exactly "portable" 

and for sure would not permit him to vacuum and take out garbages!)

Bryden loved hanging out with the bus drivers as they came in from their morning routes. Sometimes he would sit and visit or play cards with them. They have become family.  

Here is are few of his buddies at the bus barn.

Sergio...or Joe as Bryden says it.

Look out behind you Bry...

Here comes your buddy, Ken!

Bryden touched lives throughout the building. He is no stanger to Tom Nelson, Director of Facilities, who also joined the cause and started ordering t-hirts in his department too.

One after another, people would walk in, see Bryden and share smiles, handshakes, and hugs!

We had a little visitor join us and he got a lot of attention too. Great Grandpa Belnap got some good one-on-one time with Brody while Bryden was busy spending time with his dear friends.

Now, before I end this story, let me just tell you a little about this group of people that work in this building.  I happened to be at a school board meeting last fall and and the employees in the transportation were honored.  They heard about the need to help provide for our homeless students and they rose to the occasion! They filled a bus full of donations of backpacks, school supplies and more! These are not the most highly paid people in the district but truly some the most giving and we are most richly blessed to have been in their association! They give their love to Bryden and continue to give their love to those in need in our community! Thank you North Thurston Public Schools and especially the transportation department.  It is clear the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, so Erich, thanks for your example of love and kindness!

Bryden holding his first great nephew, Brody Maughan in front of one of a North Thurston bus.

Drums

Bryden loves music! He's the most experienced musician around. He's played the guitar, trombone, trumpet and his favorite...the drums! He has his very own drumset in the garage, where he sits and serenades the neighbors for hours. Here's a little sneak peak of what you all have in store at the I ROCK WITH BRY Concert!

Wrestling Jacket

Bryden has always had some amazing "boys" in his life that are his best friends.  His first group of "boys" were the Cache Valley, Utah boys that are still his best friends. But he also has a group of "boys," as he calls them, in Washington that watch out for him and are his friend.  

Meet some of these special Washington "boys" in Bryden's life...

Dallin Carlson is an undefeated wrestler at NTHS and one of Bryden's boys. Bryden likes to talk to Dallin about his wrestling and loves to watch his matches. Bryden calls himself Dallin's "coach." 

For Christmas, Dallin got permission from the wrestling coaches to have this coaches polo and wrestling jacket made and "Bryden Belnap, Assistant Coach" embroidered on them.  He surprised Bryden and my parents with a visit and this most precious gift!  Bryden now wears this jacket everywhere he goes! A big thank you to Todd and Christie Carlson for raising such an amazing young man and for this most precious gift!

Gregg (behind the camera) and Fletcher Braunton, Dallin Carlson and David Wolf stopped by for a visit one Sunday afternoon because they missed seeing Bryden at church.  It was just a few days before Christmas and the Belnaps were a little down because they weren't able to join the majority of the Belnap family in Utah for the Holidays.  What a lift in spirit is was for them to come visit.

Tanner Holmes is always there for Bryden with a hug, a hand shake or a listening and patient ear!  

There are more of these Washington "boys" but these are the ones we have pictures for. 

Thanks "boys" for bringing so much joy to Bryden's life! He loves you and we love you too!

This is Bryden, 2010

Every day was spent like his last. His parents didn’t know he would be born with Down’s Syndrome or that nearly every system of his body would fail within his first month of life. At birth, he was immediately taken by the trauma team. Four hours later, he had already taken his first ambulance ride. He was rushed to another hospital with the equipment to keep his frail body alive. The doctors never told his parents that they did not expect him to live, only that he was very, very sick. 

His parents drove an hour and a half every single day to just look down through glass at their baby boy. Cuts and pokes in his skin were filled with tubes and wires, leaving scars all over his body. It wasn’t until he was nine days old that he felt the comfort of his mother’s arms around him for the first time. It was fifteen before he felt the security of his dad’s first embrace. By the end of his first two weeks of life he had already experienced kidney and liver failure and was diagnosed with a heart murmur. At three months old, he was recovering from open-heart surgery.

He saw his home for the first time at four months old. After he was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension and went through a tracheotomy at six months, he was completely soundless, having no ability to vocally cry or laugh out loud. When he cried, it was just tears, no noise. Five and a half out of his first seven months were spent in urgent care and the others were spent in his home connected to life support. He would spend the rest of his life, with his weak lungs and body, in and out of the hospital. This once so fragile baby boy now stands, three months away from his twenty-first birthday, as my hero, my coach, my cheerleader, my best friend and my Uncle Bryden William Belnap.

Bryden has now completed high school, no longer has a tracheotomy, and though he has issues with his speech, he can talk, laugh, cry, and sing off-key with gusto. Through every test, every tube, every diagnosis, and every trial, he keeps on going. He keeps on smiling. He keeps on breathing. He keeps on loving. There has been no other role model that has changed my life the way Bryden has. His attitude on life, living, loving, working and playing has helped sculpt me into the person I am today.

With his determination, he teaches me to never quit. Whenever he attends one of my sport events or when he comes to one of my music concerts, Bryden is my coach or conductor. He is the one who cheers me on when I want to give up, claps even when I make a mistake, and stands right next to the actual coach making sure I go in to the game when I’m supposed to. He is the one who drives my success.

One day, I came home from school and work and felt like I just couldn’t go on. I had tests to study for, pages of homework and projects to finish for the next day. Although Bryden couldn’t tell me how to do my work, or help me find the answers, he was there, patting my back with a big smile across his face. He gave me the courage to keep going. With his encouragement and support, I can accomplish anything. He has taught me perseverance and determination through whatever adversity may come my way.

With his passion, he teaches me to become the person I dream to be. Starting high school, I was scared that I would be different and I was scared to be myself, worried about what people would say or think about me. I wanted to run for a student office and join clubs, but I was too nervous. Then, I started to watch. I watched as Bryden slammed away at his drums and sang as loud as he could, even though no one could understand his words. I watched as he sat in the middle of his High School Band, trombone in hand, playing away to whatever notes he could hit. I watched as he put down his instrument and ran into the team huddle to wrap up a big basketball game. I watched how he did what he loved and didn’t let others stand in his way and I learned. I learned his determination. I learned to be involved.

With his open and willing mind, he teaches me to try, to serve, and to love. No matter who they are, what they look like, where they are from or what they are doing, Bryden will treat everyone with love, kindness and respect. When I was in Elementary School, Bryden came to my house to visit and wanted to go on a bike ride. The only bike that he could fit on was my little sister’s pink bike with a pink basket, pink horn, and pink pompoms. We rode up and down our street and came across a group of boys on the corner. The boys started pointing, laughing, and mocking Bryden and his little pink bike. Bryden stopped his bike, greeted every little boy and joined in on their laughter. That day I promised myself, I would never laugh at someone who was different. Bryden taught me how to be accepting and open-minded. He taught me to love everyone, especially those who are different.

It wasn’t until I was about eight years old when I realized he wasn’t like me, he wasn’t like my sisters or brothers. He wasn’t like my parents, grandparents, cousins or uncles. He was better. Bryden was everything I’ve aspired to be from that day forward. I strive to have his determination, passion and willingness, but most of all; I want to make a difference. I want to teach. I want to change. I want to be everything he was to me.

Announcing a Fundraiser

For those of you who don't know Bryden, he is an example of Christlike love and compassion to all of those around him. He is accepting and friendly to everyone he meets. 

Bryden was born with Down Syndrome. He has faced countless health problems since he was born. These last couple of months have been really rough and will now have to be on oxygen 24/7 for the rest of his life.

He has to wheel around an oxygen tank whenever he goes anywhere. He hasn't been able to leave the house much for church or work since he's been on full oxygen. My mom and I have been brainstorming ideas for a fundraiser to get him a portable oxygen tank, which is about $4,000.

While I was designing the I walk with Bry T-shirt for the 5K, I came up with another idea I rock with Bry! For all of you who know Bry, you know he loves to ROCK! 

On March 15th, we are going to have a Rock Concert for Bryden with local bands/musicians in Olympia featuring MC B-Bry and a musical number by the very own Bryden Belnap. 

In the spring or summer we will have a 5K and/or a 1 mile walk for Bry. 

Save thes date and join us for these awesome events! Even if you can't make it, make sure you check out the T-shirts! You can order on the right side of this blog! 

**Some people have had difficulty donating and/or ordering shirts on the side bar of this blog. If you experience problems, please email KyleeMaughan@gmail.com with your sizes for shirts and she will get them ordered and will give you the address to mail your payment or donation. Thank you!

Kylee