By: Bob Lyons, Traumatic Brain Injury;  10-1990

After I graduated from college, I competed as a professional golfer for just over a year. In hindsight, I didn’t feel that our dear Lord provided me with enough talent and abilities to earn enough money to support a family. After my accident, I moved down to my dear folks’ home in Naples, FL. On our way there, we stopped at Wilson Sporting Goods headquarters near Chicago. My dear father (God rest his soul!) and I met  with a kind and thoughtful Lady, who told me that a couple P.G.A golfers had  told Wilson about what had happened to me. Roseanne told me that Wilson had decided to sponsor me with a set of their finest clubs, golf balls, etc.  Needless to say, we were very happy!

A week after we arrived in Naples, I received a professional style golf bag, complete with my name on it and a customized set of their finest golf clubs. Thinking back, I had only been walking for 2 or 3 years. However, this one awesome gesture has been as great as anything to restoring my confidence in helping me to remember what I was and the dream of what I could become!

I firmly feel that it is through the confidence, which has been restored by my ability to golf again, which has become the catalyst for my accomplishing other things. Eight years ago, I obtained my driver’s license. With this new freedom, I now am able to volunteer at an assisted living center, sing in our choir at church, run errands and drive to the golf course. Just yesterday, while I was golfing, I was fortunate enough to record my 3rd hole-in-one in my 51 years. I always try my best to communicate with both my friends and family by posting things on the Internet. Just before I started my golf game, I used my IPhone to write this: “90 degrees today, I plan on drinking plenty of liquids. Today will be the day, all Par 3s are dedicated to the Lady, only God knows.” After my round, I wrote this on the Internet. “My prayers were answered! Plus, I had my ace on the hole where you win money for a hole-in-one! Today is one of  the happiest, most blessed days of my life. Our living God is so good to me!”