Brain trauma survivors attend camp in Chesapeake

CHESAPEAKE

At a glance, they look like trapeze artists, letting loose high-pitched hollers as they glide down a zip line some 43 feet above the woods at Triple R Ranch.

"Three, two, one... "

Jeremy Brown exits the high-ropes course upside down and backward, unleashing a Tarzan-like whoop that elicits applause from the folks below.

"Only one way to go down," a stoked Brown says once his feet hit the ground.

The Ladysmith resident is a thrill-seeking veteran among the 37 campers who spent this week at Camp BruceMcCoy, named in memory of a former camper and hosted by the Brain Injury Association of Virginia.

The camp, which wraps up its 28th year today, offers adults with brain injuries a challenging recreational program that includes archery, horseback-riding, canoeing, fishing, swimming and, for the more able-bodied, a spine-tingling high-ropes course that culminates in a mind-numbing drop.

All activities are supervised by counselors who are physical therapists the rest of the year.

The worst headache of her life sent Laura Burris to the emergency room five years ago. A CAT scan determined she had suffered one aneurysm and another was ready to rupture.

Burris, 52, was a first-time camper at Triple R, which she called "an unbelievable" respite from a life that is far from what she envisioned.

"I was 47 years old, going 90 miles per hour the day before this happened," she said Thursday, her left hand wrapped due to consistent nerve pain. "I've learned to keep my glass half full rather than half empty. I do the best I can with what I've got."

That's an attitude shared by many of the campers - the camaraderie, they said, affords them a level of acceptance they are often unable to find in the outside world.

Some are in wheelchairs; others show less-obvious symptoms.

Kimberly Johnson, 37, was a teenager leaving her job at JC Penney when another driver ran a red light, sending her head into the steering wheel. Cheryl Ball, 61, was beaten up. Troy Cimburke, 23, was shaken as a baby. Al Wood, 43, went airborne on a snowmobile.

Two weeks after getting his driver's license, Brown collided his Chevette head-on into a Chevy Impala, putting him into a coma for 33 days. Initially, he was partially paralyzed on the left side of his body, but he walks without a hint of a problem now.

A support group member told him about the camp. Brown, now 36, had to be talked into going. That was 15 years ago.

"Ever since then I've come two weeks instead of one," he said. "I've met some lifelong friends. There are some friends here I only see once a year. You learn people's stories. If I can help somebody get through, I'm all for trying."

Horseback-riding at Triple R is a coveted time, even for the wheelchair-bound. Campers wear a harness and are accompanied by at least one side-walker while riding.

Ball nuzzled with Fancy, her multicolored ride for the day. "I love you, girl. I've got my sweetie pie. Thank you for letting me ride you."

She was equally animated when talking about the camp, especially the counselors who have given her newfound confidence.

"Before I ever came here, I'd shut the door; I didn't want to go anywhere," she said. "I didn't want to see people. I got teased. People will stare. Here, everybody will smile back at you.

Tearing up, she added, "They like us for us."

Martha Butler started as a counselor nine years ago and is now program director. It is an exhausting two weeks, she said. The staff takes care of the campers' daily needs, including meals, dressing and hygiene. Groups of counselors are assigned to the cabins, where lights out is at 9 p.m., with breakfast set for 7:45 a.m.

As demanding as the two weeks are, they are rewarding, too, Butler said. Most campers return year after year; some participate both weeks.

"The first-timers, between their first and second year, there's often a really big change," Butler said. "Personality-wise, they get more open and more comfortable here. We see physical improvements, emotional improvements, everything. It's really nice to... see the changes that have happened during the year they were gone."

A week of camp costs $535; an additional $275 is required for campers needing a full-time assistant. The Brain Injury Association of Virginia states it has never turned anyone away because of cost. New campers are eligible for full scholarships; returning campers are encouraged to hold fundraisers, though partial scholarships are available.

The days conclude with traditional camp activities, including campfires, karaoke, ice cream socials and movies. But the bulk of the campers' time is spent outdoors, which is OK with Brown.

He laughed at the notion of being a daredevil.

"I like to think I am," he said. "Before my accident, I was more of a follower. I come here, and everybody says, 'Hey, man, I want to be just like you.' "

Vicki Friedman (757) 222-5218; vicki.friedman@pilotonline.com