Alexis Verzal

This post is dedicated to the greatest couple I ever had the chance of working under, Brandon and Tiffany Verzal.  Brandon was my boss and Tiffany (his wife) came on board a short time later as my superior or Supervisor, either way, I had to answer to them both for a little more than three years in college:  BEST 3+ years I ever had..  You know how they say "if you love what you do, it's not work"?  Well, these two helped me to truly realize what that meant..

The captain of my Christian Dance Team, Chara, knew I wanted to be a sports broadcaster and heard about this job orientation to work in the athletic department at A&M.  I went to the orientation and interviewed with an auditorium full of people at Texas A&M for this paid internship with the athletic department doing video productions.  That was the first day I was introduced to Brandon.  He stood in the front of the auditorium and introduced himself to the big group of students.  He told the us how he and his wife had just moved to College Station and that his job was to find about seven students to help really get the Aggie Sports Connection going.  Tiffany and Brandon met up at Nebraska and they were part of a group of students who helped start Husker Vision and it really took off.  So when the Aggies got a new athletic director and senior associate athletic director from Nebraska, they knew exactly who they wanted to come in and help the ASC take off..

I was one of the students invited back for an interview, and eventually offered a job.  I can not tell you HOW ecstatic I was!!  I wanted to learn, I wanted to know how to do everything, and I wanted to be in the action!  This wasn't an easy job mind you... In the fall I was an assistant with the Women's Soccer team.  I would get to the studio two hours before the games and stay two hours after.. Then on Saturday, I'd have to be at Kyle Field 4 hours before the game, and probably wouldn't leave until about 4 hours after- that right there was easily a 20+ hour work weekend..  Then I started doing swimming.. Then added basketball.. and then everyone worked baseball.  It was one of those jobs where you got as much out of it as you put in it.  When I wasn't working I was watching Brandon, Tiffany, or Jolley (another worker above me) edit and learning from them.  They were so talented, the things they thought of, how quickly they worked, how good they could make our sports teams look even if they hadn't had a good season (i.e. our football video that year was AMAZING).  The Verzals were my biggest influence during those three and a half years.  I always would go to them for advice, and for their opinions on my videos... Geeze I'd even go to them for relationship advice, pageant questions, school, job questions for post college..  Tiffany helped me with my banner at the beginning and end of my demo that I sent out to TV stations right before I graduated.  And they were always 2 of my fans when I competed in pageants!!  To this day, this is my favorite job.. It's my passion. I spent the night up at my office on several occasions because I wanted my videos to be the best.  I miss that place and I miss telling stories through video and music.

So why am I telling you all about these two people that were my bosses 3 years ago?  Because even when I graduated and moved on, they were still there for me.  I had a really hard time adjusting to TV news and I'd come back to A&M for football games and talk to them about it.  On the first day of April in 2008 I wrote an email to both Tiffany and Brandon asking for help/advice, literally in tears and I didn't know who else could help me besides them.  That day and the next day I received some of the most encouraging words from two of my mentors at a time when I needed it most.  Then, on April 3rd, Tiffany and Brandon's lives along with their 14 month old daughter, Alexis were changed forever...

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (I Thessalonians 5: 16-18)

Alexis was a normal, healthy 14 month old girl with tons of energy.  But shortly after the Verzals arrived to work that April morning, they got a call at work from their babysitter (Renee Munyon) that something was terribly wrong with Alexis and she was being life flighted to Temple.  According to court documents, Munyon called authorities April 3, saying she had a child (Alexis) that seemed out of sorts. Munyon told authorities the child had been in timeout, but failed to mention any physical injuries the child may have suffered.  [Why would a 14 month old be in 'time out'? They do not even understand what that is].  Then, according to police reports, Munyon called Brandon and Tiffany, after alerting authorities. She told Tiffany that Alexis was on a blanket, designated as the time-out spot, and Alexis had reportedly stopped crying and when Munyon went to check on her, she didn't respond... Alexis suffered from retinal hemorrhaging and brain swelling, which are injuries consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome.  The life flight crew transporting Alexis had paused to pray before takeoff, not expecting her to survive the trip from College Station to Temple... I'm confident that prayer is why Alexis is still here.  But the swelling and bleeding in Alexis' brain would cause permanent and severe brain damage.

Tiffany, being the video producer that she is picked up a camera to start documenting her little girl and hopefully her progress.  A social worker was there to video tape Alexis for the footage to be used as evidence, and as a mother with her profession and experience, she was not going to entrust that to an amateur.  If I remember correctly, Brandon was not a big fan of it at the time, wondering why his wife would want to be shooting video of their daughter at a time when she was in a medically induced coma with tubes surrounding her and keeping her alive..  The family made the choice to move back to Nebraska so that Alexis could attend therapy at the Madonna's Rehabilitation Hospital; one of THE best rehabilitation facilities for children with brain injuries.  And what started in that room with a video camera would change their lives once more, this time for the better and with blessings they could never have imagined!

For one, the Verzals had support from ALL over and they kept us updated through a Care Page for Alexis.  That August, soccer coach, G Guerrieri hosted a charity bash for the Verzals to help offset Alexis' medical bills.  The Aggie family raised more than $35,000 for Alexis, and with help from Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, that number was DOUBLED!  Apparently Garth Brooks' daughter wanted to attend Texas A&M and play soccer so she was down there with her family to watch the game when the charity was held.  When the country artists heard about the fundraiser, they agreed to match what was raised.

One truly amazing family...

 Look at Alexis walking with Daddy's help

Such a spark in her eye!   

 This video was played on the jumbotran during halftime, and I don't think there was a dry eye in the stands..

More importantly than the support that Brandon and Tiffany received, was the support that distributed to other people; to other families with similar stories..  What started off as a way for the parents of a child who was now blind and unable to move to document her progress, led to Tiffany and Brandon documenting the lives of several children fighting the same battle as Alexis.   The Verzals used their God-given skills and talents to devote part of their lives toward education on shaken baby syndrome and pediatric brain trauma.  In fact, the Verzals documented roughly 200 hours of filming to find that breakthrough moment to each patient's recovery that they had come in contact with.  It turned into a nearly 75-minute documentary film titled "Pathways" that was debued Madonna's Goal Awards ceremony last October.  And now, I believe it's somewhere with in the film festival circuit.  "Pathways" follows four brain-injury patients of different ages along unique paths to various stages of recovery.  These are people who's families had no hope at one time, and now, now thanks to the love and care, and TIME by the staff at Madonna they have HOPE.  The following clip is a trailer per say of the documentary.   I still tear up watching it.  I mean, you see it!  You see the break through in this kids and you realize they've already accomplished the impossible just by being alive.. The world says they aren't supposed to be able to do anything but God had other plans, and they do.  And the Verzals, they have brought light to that incredible feat.

I don't know how they do it.. How do parents who are battling so much DO so much for other people?  Well, I'll tell you one thing, God knew what he was doing.  We may not understand "why" something like this could happen to an innocent 14 month old girl like Alexis, but God knew how strong her parents were and He knew how much they would be able to help others.  The Verzals are indeed doing God's work and bringing light to a cause they most of us could NEVER imagine.  

But like most situations, things were going to seem worse before they got better..

You see, in November a jury found Renee Munyon not guilty of injury to a child.  Yes, you read that right, not guilty.  Multiple doctors who treated the child testified that Alexis suffered from head trauma that they believed was caused minutes before Munyon called 911.  As evidenced by the result, the jury felt differently...  Another student who worked with me in the athletic department was texting me updates.  The jury was first deadlocked at 7-5, then 10-2, then 11-1 before the not guilty verdict came back after more than 15 hours of deliberation.  When I was informed the jury was at 10-2 then 11-1, I just knew the Verzals were going to get the justice they deserved..  From working in news, working in the courtroom, I know that the "not guilty" verdict was an easy way out for those jurors.  The Verzals might not have gotten justice that day, in that courtroom, but they are faithful that there will be justice and so am I.  I can not brag enough about the class of these two and how they handled the verdict. 

The day after the Verzals returned from the trial in Texas, Brandon was driving back from some work errands when he got a call from Madonna's CEO Marsha Lommel. She had great news for the family.  Apparently, the Verzals had created a special video for the Dan Whitney family (better known to the world as Larry the Cable Guy). In it, was Alexis' story and they had asked the Whitney's to come to Madonna for a visit.  Cara Whitney finally had a chance to watch the video while the trial was going on and the Verzals were in Texas. She immediately called Madonna and said she was stopping by for a tour. One of their in-patient therapists, showed Cara around and told about Madonna's vision for a special pediatric rehab hospital within their facility. They sent Cara home with a DVD of that documentary I talked about earlier. 

**This is where it gets REALLY good**

After watching the documentary and talking to Dan, Cara called Madonna to announce their Git-R-Done Foundation wanted to make a donation to Madonna. The $1.2 million gift would pay (completely) for the building of the special children's rehab facility Madonna was hoping to create!!!  You see, the Verzals have always felt that what happened to Alexis happened for a reason, and they believe that this was it.  The next day, they had a chance to meet Dan, Cara, and their two children- Wyatt and Reagan- for the first time. During our visit, the two families joked about what the hospital would be named- the Verzals suggested "The Git-R-Done Children's Hospital". Dan replied- "no, we're naming this after Alexis."  The new facility will be called "The Alexis Verzal Children's Rehabilitation Hospital at Madonna".  What a legacy for little Alexis!!  What a way for OTHER people, other children to get the treatment they need!

This is what Brandon and TV wrote for the official press conference.  As Brandon admitted he didn't get far with out tears, not that I can say much, I have teared up several times writing this and watching the videos.

"There are few things that compare to the pain a parent feels when their child is injured or ill. Since Alexis was hurt 20 months ago, my wife Tiffany and I have dealt with our pain through faith- which has told us that every circumstance, no matter how dark, happens for a reason.
Today, that reason is abundantly clear.
There are no words to express the appreciation we have for Dan and his family on this day. We hope it is understood that this is not only a gift to Madonna- but to the entire state of Nebraska and to children all over the country. Thousands of children will be given a chance to recover from debilitating injuries and illness, the way Alexis has, because of this donation. The fact that it is being built because of the generosity of a Nebraska native, whose incredible determination and work ethic have gotten him where he is, should make the people of this state even more proud.
It’s impossible to comprehend the far reaching effect of this facility on lives for many, many years to come. Working in rehabilitation with children is a daily challenge. Oftentimes the child is unable to communicate their wants and needs, meaning the therapists have to use their talents to figure out what works. It could be a certain toy, a piece of rehab equipment or even the therapy environment that causes a spark in an injured child- and gets them on the road to recovery. This facility will give every child that comes through these doors the opportunity to have that spark, and to get better.
Madonna is home to some of the most talented pediatric therapists in the country. We are also thrilled they will have the best facility and tools to practice their craft.
We are so humbled by the decision to name this facility after Alexis. After going to rehab here five days a week for over a year and a half, a life with constant rehabilitation is the only life Alexis knows. There will be many challenges in the years to come as she becomes cognizant of her handicaps and the sad circumstances surrounding what caused them. We are comforted that this hospital will show her how much good has come from her hard work and determination, despite everything she must endure.
One unique aspect to this facility is that its namesake will actually be using it herself. Alexis has a lifetime of therapy ahead of her- so also as her parents- we thank you both for helping her heal. This will certainly be the first of many thanks from parents for how you have helped their children recover.
We also believe that Alexis’ name is a mere representation of the spirit of so many children- past and present- that have and are recovering here. This hospital will be named after Alexis, but also Jeremy, Derek, Signe, and Grace. Hope, Ashley, Adam, Caleb, and Tonya. Brady, Kolden, Hailey, Carson, Chase, Mandy, and so many more. We hope they share the same pride we do in what will soon be built.
We have a plaque in our house that reads- “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain.” Dan & Cara- thank you for giving children facing the most difficult of circumstances, the opportunity to dance in the rain- right here at Madonna- for many, many years to come.
Thank you."

I know that this is just the beginning for the Verzals.  More great things are going to happen because of them and for them.  When I was talking to Tiffany at the charity event at the Aggie Soccer game she said, "if Alexis doesn't improve anymore after this, we are already blessed she is even to this point."  Needless to say Alexis has surpassed what she was doing even then.  Alexis is an inspiration. She is a witness, and she’s a miracle just by being alive.

Originally Tiffany and Brandon were told to take Alexis home to see what happens.  They decided to take her to Madonna instead.  Can you imagine that?  I read somewhere 'had they done that, both say, there would have been no way their story could have moved beyond that day when a hurting mother turned on a camera.'

You can watch more of the Verzals work here.