I’ve spoken to Taylor many times since his accident. I don’t recall once where he didn’t mention the word home. Taylor knew his recovery rate would be his ticket home and he worked through unimaginable pain to punch that ticket. Taylor made his homecoming months before everybody expected. Everybody, that is, except for Taylor.

Taylor kept his aspirations to return home in 4 months close to the hip, a return to the people he loves and, eventually, a dream home the Chivers built. Taylor also planned on walking through the streets of his home town under his own power, nothing less.

I finally reached Taylor toward the end of his big day. He was relaxing on the back porch of his parent’s house. I asked him how he was feeling,

“I feel good. I’m on my parent’s back porch in Iowa with all my friends and family. I’ve learned to walk pretty well. Now that I have my balance, it’s mostly about gaining endurance. But it’s 7:30 now and I still have my legs on. That’s pretty good.”

Taylor reminded me once again to thank the Chivers, not only for the massive financial support, but for the thousands of letters and emails that continue to pour in via Taylor’s website. These letters were a source of constant encouragement for Taylor. And if you were one of the Chivers who wrote him, many of you were surprised to find Taylor wrote you back. That’s just the kind of person he is.

Before Taylor and I got off the phone, I asked him about receiving the Bronze Star,

“Yeah, I was awarded the Bronze Star with valor. At the end of the ceremony they asked me to make a speech. I didn’t see that coming, John. I don’t recall much of what I said. I just remember saying that Danielle is the real hero, not me – that if I had two hands, I’d take this Bronze Star off my shirt and give it to Danielle. She never left my side though all of this, she carried me on her back… literally.”