CEDAR HILL, Texas — A lot of mothers feel special for at least one Sunday in May. But Lachelle Mays, of Cedar Hill, feels blessed every day.
“Words can’t express how much I love him because I thought I was going to lose him,” Mays said.
Mays and her only child, Jerry Mathis, work together at an aerospace company. A couple of years ago, Mathis was driving behind Mays on the way to start their 5 a.m. shift.
“When I look at the mirror, he comes through and an 18-wheeler had t-boned his passenger side door,” Mays said.
The impact left Mathis with a traumatic brain injury. Doctors weren’t sure he’d ever walk or talk again.
Mays was devastated until Mathis’ condition improved and he was able to give his mom some reassurance.
“I was crying and he said, ‘Momma, don’t cry. I got this,’” she said.
A former football star who played in the arena league, Mathis was determined to regain as much of a normal life as possible.
Today, he’s back on his feet and back at home. He’s lost some of his memories, but he’s gained a whole new appreciation.
“Made me appreciate life a lot more,” Mathis said. “A lot more than I was at first.”
“I loved him then but having him here with me makes it a whole lot greater,” said Mays.
Which makes every day worth celebrating.