Daniel Ricketts shows off the picture of the Children's Hospital new building project with a closeup of his name featured on the foundation of the construction.
The Children's Hospital of Alabama chose Daniel Ricketts of Wetumpka to be honored on the "Wall of Inspiration" along with 50 other children at a special ceremony held last month. The ceremony unveiled the first wall with 51 Children’s Hospital patients’ names that were specifically nominated for this honor.
Daniel, 13, is one of the many children from Alabama and Mississippi who have received life saving treatment at Children’s Hospital. When Daniel and his family were invited to this special event, they had no idea who nominated him. “I was one of 51 children chosen out of thousands,” said Daniel. When Daniel and his family were at the reception of the event, they ran into nurses and technicians that Daniel had become friends with while being treated at Children’s Hospital.
“We are on hugging terms with them,” said Judy Denner, Daniel’s Grandmother. Upon talking with a nurse they knew, Daniel and his family said they had no idea who nominated him for the “Wall of Inspiration.” The nurse responded, “Of course you know who nominated you!”
Last October Daniel had brain surgery to do away with his complex partial seizures.
“It’s quite a complex process. We had to be there for five days for a
video EEG to pinpoint exactly where his seizures were coming from,” said Mrs. Denner. Needless to say, the nurses and technicians from the EEG department grew fond of Daniel, and they nominated him to be honored on the wall.
After sitting with Daniel for only five minutes, you can see why he was chosen to be on the wall.
“I like to make people laugh,” said Daniel. “They say it makes you live longer.”
Daniel’s seizures were noticed about three years ago, and while he is not yet 100% seizure-free, he’s getting there.
“He got moved right along in the process and we were fortunate that they wanted to get him fixed. It’s usually a couple of years before anything can be treated. They opened up his skull and put a grid right on his brain to see exactly where the seizures were coming from,” said Mrs. Denner.
“It’s amazing what God can do,” said Daniel.
It is clear that Daniel has been through more than your average 13-year-old. But it doesn’t seem to faze him in the slightest. Daniel enjoys playing his Nintendo Wii, and he also rides horses therapeutically. In fact, he has been riding horses since he was a baby. “My Daddy used to get me up on the horse with him, and the horse would rock me to sleep,” said Daniel. He has also played in the Miracle League, which is an organization in Montgomery that provides the opportunity for special needs children to play baseball.
Upon asking Daniel if there was anything else he’d like to say, he replied, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…. Philippians 4:13. My Dad used to have that taped to my wheelchair tray.”
“That’s his spirit,” said Mrs. Denner. And truly it is. If every adult had half the strength of Daniel Ricketts, this world would be a better place.
