The Courter Family deserves and needs your help in building a home. Their story is one of great tragedy, great perseverance, and great love.

On Christmas morning in 2005, 32-year-old Ted Courter drove out to pick up his daughter Amber, who had spent the previous night with her mother. He was to bring her back to celebrate Christmas morning with the Courter family. Unfortunately, Ted never reached his destination. The Dodge Grand Caravan he drove passed over some black ice and spun out of control, hitting a tree. The driver’s seat detached from its frame and the seat was flung backwards. Ted Courter broke his 4th and 5th vertebrae.

On Christmas morning, Ted’s wife Julie received a phone call telling her to come to Sparrow Hospital. When she arrived, Julie found her husband barely able to speak and lacking sensation throughout his body. Julie leaned over, talking sweetly and calmly to Ted, giving him hope. The doctors and nurses would come and speak with Julie from time to time during the operation. Family and friends spent all of Christmas day and the next sitting in the hospital while Ted fought to live. Julie was calm and hopeful. She was strong for her children and it amazed us all. Devastatingly, even with surgery, Ted was paralyzed from the neck down. Ted is now quadriplegic.

This tragedy has cost the Courter family a great many dreams, but none so heartbreaking as their plans for their home. They had just purchased the farmhouse they had been renting, which sits on a beautiful double lot with mature pine trees. They loved the spot and had lots of dreams and goals for renovating the home step-by-step as Ted’s busy career and home life allowed.

After months of care in Mary Freebed Rehabilitation Center in Grand Rapids, an hour away, the Center would not release Ted to the old, dreary, narrow farmhouse hallways of their home. Prioritizing keeping the family together, the Courters moved into a three bedroom, wheelchair accessible apartment in downtown DeWitt across from the Post Office. The family of six, including Ted, Julie and their four children Tanner (now age 5); Monica (now 3nd grade); Amber (now 8th grade) and Audrey (now 9th), are still living in that cramped apartment. The only options Ted has for movement in the apartment are to sleep in his room or sit in the living/dining area. A man who grew up working on a farm, spent three years in the military and loved to cook for his family and work in the yard, sits and waits.

A group of volunteers from St. Jude’s Catholic Church and Redeemer United Methodist of DeWitt came together for a Rebuilding Day (April 2006) in an effort to support the Courters in any way possible. The house was inspected and the prospects of completing Ted’s in-progress renovations were evaluated. When it came down to it, however, the group couldn’t justify adding more money to the existing home. It just wasn't a long term option - it never was going to suit the needs of Ted and the family again. The team’s efforts quickly switched to relocating Ted and the family to the barrier free apartment and preparing the house, lot and personal belongings for demolition/storage. Long term storage was located for the possessions that still wait for them to come back together as a family. Loads were taken to Clinton County’s trash collection day and a garage sale was held-all with volunteer labor. Volunteers mowed, raked, burned brush, stained the play set and basically prepared the property--for what has turned into a very long wait--for the family to return. A Redeemer Small Group kept the property up with regular lawn maintenance during 2006. Ted and Julie’s families took over maintenance in 2007.

Julie has dedicated her life to caring for her children and husband Ted, never doing for herself. In order to keep things as stable as possible, she still drives the children to their activities, volunteers for their clubs, helps them do their homework, makes the meals and cares for her husband’s needs. Julie is the foundation of the love and strength this family encompasses.

With less income and time, the family needs our assistance to get back in a family home that meets their needs for space and maximizes Ted's use of his rehabilitation training. They have already spent two Christmases in a small rented apartment; please help ensure that this coming Christmas is spent in a home that exudes the same love and peace that binds this family.

The Community Build Leadership Team can be reached by contacting Cindy Reisig, 12700 Airport Road, DeWitt, MI 48820, reisig5@comcast.net; 517-669-8542

Note: This piece was originally drafted by Julie Reynolds as part of an application packet to ABC’s Extreme Makeover on behalf of the Courter Family.

Ted Courter is a wonderful man, who even before the accident didn’t live an easy life. He is though very blessed. Ted is surrounded by amazing people who deeply love and care for him. He is very grateful for that. He is also astounded by the goodness that he receives from family, friends, and even complete strangers.

Ted started out life living on a cow farm in Alma, Michigan. He had an older sister, Tammy, and a younger sister, Robin. Every day he would wake up early in the morning to go to school. When he got home Ted would change into his work clothes, and immediately begin his chores. After he finished Ted would go inside for dinner, and stay up until he finished his homework. Though Ted didn’t live an easy life, and worked during breaks and days off living on a farm did have its benefits. Ted learned how to have patience, and good work ethics.

When Ted turned eighteen he joined the marines. It was right after Saddam invaded Kuwait. When asked why he joined the marines, and not the army, air force, etc. Ted replied “because they’re best”. We asked him what he meant by that statement. He told us it’s just like saying your favorite color is the best, there’s no real answer it’s just a preference. Ted also told us that he dearly misses the military. He said that he misses serving his country, and being around the quality of people that he worked with. The best memory Ted has of being in the marines is when he carried a young disabled child around, giving him a tour of the Nimitz for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

After leaving the marines Ted decided to be a corrections officer. His job was to make sure the prisoners didn’t try to escape. It was a good job, but it wasn’t always easy. There were scary times when Ted would have to break up a fight between the prisoners. Being a corrections officer though did give Ted more strength, and it gave him a chance to meet even more wonderful people. He made many new friends with the people he worked with; who still believe in and support him today.

Ted also talked to us about some of his hobbies. One in particular caught our interest, winemaking. Ted made wine for three to four years. It wasn’t hard work, but it did take a lot of patience. Ted basically taught himself to make wine, by reading books. He made all kinds of delicious wines, including a strawberry wine. He said depending on what kind of wine he was making it typically took him six to twelve weeks to make it. Though Ted spent a lot of time making wine, he also did do other things for fun. For example trail bike riding and baking. His specialty was cheesecake.

When Ted met his wonderful wife, Julie, they each had a daughter from previous relationships: Julie’s daughter Audrey who was 5 years old at the time and Ted’s daughter Amber who was 4 years old. They soon married and had two more children; Monica and Tanner. Currently Audrey is 15, Amber is 13, Monica is 8, and the only boy Tanner is 5. On September 15 Ted and Julie will be celebrating many wonderful and happy years of marriage. Ted’s family means a lot to him and always will.

That is just a glimpse of the life that Ted Courter led. He is an amazing man with a lot to be proud of, and thankful for. With the help we are getting from people who support him we are hoping to get Ted back into some of the activities he once enjoyed. Pretty soon Ted will be baking and doing the other things he loves to do again. For right now he is spending quality time with his family and friends. He is very thankful and proud of the kindness that everybody has been showing him.

Leadership Team-We are feeling horrible about Gene's accident.  Ted and I visited Gene after his surgery today.  He's in good spirits and we even heard a couple new jokes. :)  As we all know this will be a huge deal for Gene and Kay in regards to a disruption in their lives and a long recovery.  We will be praying for him, of course, & are hoping that he heals quickly with no complications and minimal pain!  Julie

 

P.S. Thanks to GOD for sending the woman who promptly saw him sitting & waving for help!  I would like to take dinners to him when he gets home if he wants us to. 

 

P.S.S.  I just wanted to add one more comment...when we visited Gene he mentioned that he would make sure the house model would make it to Sam's for the Taco night.....even after all this he is thinking of others. He truly has a "heart of gold"  ( -quoted from Fred Motz!)

 

Hello!  We are very honored by this offer-how generous!!!  We still feel, however that we would like others in the community to benefit from new fundraisers at this point.  We are going to have a house that is over-the-top and an over abundance of things to be thankful for this Christmas.  Again-thank you for the offer-the support we have and are receiving seems to grow and grow!   Julie and Ted

I hope we can coordinate everything nicely with Jim Hamilton, TMB Landscaping he has such a beautiful landscaping plan.  We appreciate all his time considering our needs and the quality!  We also appreciate the beautiful trees being donated, they will make the property look so nice....we are amazed everyday at everyone's generosity!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Cindy,

Did I thank you for everything you are doing?  If I haven't, it is on my mind constantly!  Thank you so very much for helping to make this dream of a home for Julie and her family come true.  I will forever be grateful to you, and everyone involved, for all of your time, hard work and efforts!  Thank you so very much!!! 

God bless you and yours! 

 

Marcia Paterna, Julie Courter's mother