Coach and Little Grace: Mother of child with Down Syndrome gets life-changing phone call – WVTM13
Posted: May 24, 2020 at 7:47 pm
Eighteen years ago, former Alabama football coach Gene Stallings made a difference in the life of a grieving woman and her beautiful newborn.It's a story about love and compassion, a story that has not been told until now.This is the story of The Coach and Little Grace:Her heart was heavy on Mother's Day 2002.Laura Davis was depressed and confused as her first child slept at her side.Was she crazy to feel so sad? So hopeless? After all, her daughter Grace was a mere 14 days old. Laura Davis was supposed to be happy.As Grace slept, Laura asked God for answers. How was she supposed to care for a child with Down Syndrome? How was she supposed to see the future as her child had just been diagnosed with two holes in her heart? How was she supposed to have hope when her doctor told her that little Grace would never walk, talk or read?Her husband was doing his residency in Columbus, Ohio, and while Chris was working hard, Laura cried. She was overwhelmed. She missed her hometown of Vestavia Hills. She missed talking about life and Bama football with her friends.And getting out of bed? It just wasn't happening.The phone rang, and Laura took a deep breath, inhaling tears that had fallen from her eyes."Hello," said Laura."Hello, Laura, this is Gene Stallings. I wanted to call to wish you a Happy Mother's Day."Laura's heart jumped.Was it really THE Gene Stallings? The head coach of her beloved Crimson Tide?Why in the world was Gene Stallings calling Laura Davis, who was in Columbus, Ohio?"I also want to congratulate you on your newborn, Grace," the Tide coach said.How in the world did Coach Stallings know about Grace?The two exchanged pleasantries, and then Stallings revealed why he was really calling: To give Laura Davis hope. To get her out of bed.The coach proposed a question to Laura:"What is the one thing that you want for little Grace? You want her to someday go to heaven, right?""Of course," Laura replied.And then came just one of many bits of advice that the coach offered up:"Well, Laura, Grace has a one-way ticket because God loves her and so do you," he said. "You may not know this right now, but you are in for the ride of your life. You will never stop loving little Grace."And another piece of advice from the coach:"If the Lord asked me if I would rather have had John Mark the way he is or had him as a 'normal' child, I would tell Him that I would rather have had Johnny just the way he is."Coach Stallings said "goodbye" and hung up the phone.The tears in Laura's eyes returned. But this time they were happy tears. She had chill bumps.Little Grace remained next to her, asleep.We never know when that moment might come, but on Mother's Day 2002 that moment came for Laura Davis.She closed her eyes and prayed, promising God that she was going to make the most of Grace's life and offer her daughter every ounce of love that she could muster.And suddenly, good things started to happen:The two holes in Grace's heart closed on their own.Grace smiled.Physical therapy began, then speech therapy.Laura and Chris would move back to Vestavia Hills as Grace turned two. Years of hard work followed. Reading, writing, speaking.Vestavia Hills' special education teacher Jennifer Greer came into their lives and Grace blossomed as a cheerleader, a student and a friend.God was good.And now for the cherry on top:Three days ago, Grace Davis, the girl who was doubted, mocked, and given little chance to live a fulfilling life, graduated from Vestavia Hills High School. Grace will enter Auburn's "Eagles" program this fall. Yes, 18 years after doctors doubted her, Grace Davis will be going to college.Chris and Laura Davis are enjoying life in Vestavia Hills. Chris is an ENT doctor, and their sons Jack and Will are growing fast.Laura tells me that she will never forget Mother's Day 2002, the day that she received an unexpected phone call not from a football legend, but rather from the father of a Down Syndrome child.It was a phone call that motivated Laura to get of bed and look to the future one that ended up being more amazing than she could have ever imagined.And now you know the story of The Coach and Little Grace.A story with a happy ending!
Eighteen years ago, former Alabama football coach Gene Stallings made a difference in the life of a grieving woman and her beautiful newborn.
It's a story about love and compassion, a story that has not been told until now.
This is the story of The Coach and Little Grace:
Her heart was heavy on Mother's Day 2002.
Laura Davis was depressed and confused as her first child slept at her side.Was she crazy to feel so sad? So hopeless? After all, her daughter Grace was a mere 14 days old. Laura Davis was supposed to be happy.
As Grace slept, Laura asked God for answers. How was she supposed to care for a child with Down Syndrome? How was she supposed to see the future as her child had just been diagnosed with two holes in her heart? How was she supposed to have hope when her doctor told her that little Grace would never walk, talk or read?
Her husband was doing his residency in Columbus, Ohio, and while Chris was working hard, Laura cried. She was overwhelmed. She missed her hometown of Vestavia Hills. She missed talking about life and Bama football with her friends.
And getting out of bed? It just wasn't happening.
The phone rang, and Laura took a deep breath, inhaling tears that had fallen from her eyes.
"Hello," said Laura.
"Hello, Laura, this is Gene Stallings. I wanted to call to wish you a Happy Mother's Day."
Laura's heart jumped.
Was it really THE Gene Stallings? The head coach of her beloved Crimson Tide?
Why in the world was Gene Stallings calling Laura Davis, who was in Columbus, Ohio?
"I also want to congratulate you on your newborn, Grace," the Tide coach said.
How in the world did Coach Stallings know about Grace?
The two exchanged pleasantries, and then Stallings revealed why he was really calling: To give Laura Davis hope. To get her out of bed.
The coach proposed a question to Laura:
"What is the one thing that you want for little Grace? You want her to someday go to heaven, right?"
"Of course," Laura replied.
And then came just one of many bits of advice that the coach offered up:
"Well, Laura, Grace has a one-way ticket because God loves her and so do you," he said. "You may not know this right now, but you are in for the ride of your life. You will never stop loving little Grace."
And another piece of advice from the coach:
"If the Lord asked me if I would rather have had John Mark the way he is or had him as a 'normal' child, I would tell Him that I would rather have had Johnny just the way he is."
Coach Stallings said "goodbye" and hung up the phone.
The tears in Laura's eyes returned. But this time they were happy tears. She had chill bumps.
Little Grace remained next to her, asleep.
We never know when that moment might come, but on Mother's Day 2002 that moment came for Laura Davis.
She closed her eyes and prayed, promising God that she was going to make the most of Grace's life and offer her daughter every ounce of love that she could muster.
And suddenly, good things started to happen:
The two holes in Grace's heart closed on their own.
Grace smiled.
Physical therapy began, then speech therapy.
Laura and Chris would move back to Vestavia Hills as Grace turned two. Years of hard work followed. Reading, writing, speaking.
Vestavia Hills' special education teacher Jennifer Greer came into their lives and Grace blossomed as a cheerleader, a student and a friend.
God was good.
And now for the cherry on top:
Three days ago, Grace Davis, the girl who was doubted, mocked, and given little chance to live a fulfilling life, graduated from Vestavia Hills High School.
Vestavia Hills City Schools
Grace will enter Auburn's "Eagles" program this fall. Yes, 18 years after doctors doubted her, Grace Davis will be going to college.
Chris and Laura Davis are enjoying life in Vestavia Hills. Chris is an ENT doctor, and their sons Jack and Will are growing fast.
Laura tells me that she will never forget Mother's Day 2002, the day that she received an unexpected phone call not from a football legend, but rather from the father of a Down Syndrome child.
It was a phone call that motivated Laura to get of bed and look to the future one that ended up being more amazing than she could have ever imagined.
And now you know the story of The Coach and Little Grace.
A story with a happy ending!
See more here:
Coach and Little Grace: Mother of child with Down Syndrome gets life-changing phone call - WVTM13
- Last Call with Jenna Balestrini, the WPI grad treating cancer with cell therapy - Worcester Mag - January 14th, 2021
- Province gives family facing $2.8M drug bill a glimmer of hope - CBC.ca - January 14th, 2021
- New Combination Therapy Tested By Children's May Offer Hope For Leukemia Patients - WVXU - December 22nd, 2020
- This 6-year-old Iowa boy is losing his vision and hearing. But his family holds on to hope. - The Gazette - December 22nd, 2020
- What Is Gene Therapy? How Does It Work? | FDA - December 17th, 2020
- What is gene therapy? - The Star Online - December 17th, 2020
- What It's Like Rising A Little Boy With Advanced Breast Cancer - Oprah Mag - December 17th, 2020
- EAPM Advancing gene therapy with Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products - EU Reporter - December 16th, 2020
- San Diego's Locanabio raises $100 million for treatments aimed at degenerative diseases - The San Diego Union-Tribune - December 16th, 2020
- Italy needs new restrictions to avoid third, devastating COVID-19 wave - PM to paper - EU Reporter - December 16th, 2020
- Yes, men can get breast cancer here are the symptoms to watch for - Insider - INSIDER - December 12th, 2020
- Mumbai: Baby with genetic disorder needs Rs 16 crore therapy to live - Mid-day - December 12th, 2020
- Gene Therapy Liberates Hemophilia B Patients from Requiring Regular Infusions of Clotting Factor - MedicalResearch.com - December 12th, 2020
- Vaccination in the Era of Covid - Touro College News - December 7th, 2020
- Genentech Announces New Data Reinforcing the Long-Term Benefit of Venclexta-Based Combination for People With Relapsed or Refractory Chronic... - December 7th, 2020
- Medicare and cystic fibrosis: Coverage, options, treatments, and costs - Medical News Today - December 7th, 2020
- The FDA has approved the first drug to treat the rapid-aging disease progeria - Science News - November 26th, 2020
- 'This is why I'm here': A Detroit Lions VP tries to save her daughter from rare disease - ESPN - November 24th, 2020
- Encouraging Clinical Data for Controlled IL-12 for the Treatment of Glioblastoma and DIPG - OncoZine - November 24th, 2020
- SwanBio Therapeutics Expands Board of Directors with Appointments of Proven Industry Leaders - Business Wire - November 24th, 2020
- SwanBio Therapeutics Expands Board of Directors with Appointments of Proven Industry Leaders - BioSpace - November 23rd, 2020
- Rare Mutation in the PCSK9 Gene Confers Long Healthy Life - MedicalResearch.com - November 23rd, 2020
- Living through the second wave - Pakistan Today - November 23rd, 2020
- How two blind brothers became Two Blind Brothers for a cause - The Columbian - November 10th, 2020
- How two blind brothers created a one-of-a-kind shopping experience to raise money for a cure - WXII The Triad - November 10th, 2020
- The ethical way to alter organisms - The Boston Globe - November 10th, 2020
- Teladoc Is A Strong Buy: A Radical Healthcare Change Will Come - Seeking Alpha - November 10th, 2020
- Medical Milestone In Boston: 13-Year-Old Gets New Gene ... - November 5th, 2020
- How immunotherapy is revolutionizing cancer care - Genetic Literacy Project - October 29th, 2020
- The good news about breast cancer - The Gazette - October 29th, 2020
- Harris County parents win insurance appeal for 8-year-olds MD treatment - WRBL - October 29th, 2020
- Biohack the ageing process by taking care of this little protein in your body - Lifestyle Asia - October 22nd, 2020
- 'I have faith and I prayed a lot' - News from southeastern Connecticut - theday.com - October 22nd, 2020
- Piqray Improves Overall Survival for Advanced-Stage Hormone-Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative Breast Cancer With PIK3CA Mutation - Breastcancer.org - October 20th, 2020
- Beating Cancer: Prevention must be 'cornerstone' of EU's new approach - The Parliament Magazine - October 20th, 2020
- Watch: New 5-minute injection a game-changer in breast cancer therapy in UAE - Gulf News - October 20th, 2020
- Homer Glen Mom and Nurse Breast Cancer-Free after Radiation Therapy Clinical Trial at UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center at Silver Cross -... - October 20th, 2020
- Teenager among first to receive gene therapy treatment for rare condition - KRDO - October 8th, 2020
- Proposition 14: With Just Handful of Cures, California Stem Cell Agency's Fate Is In Hands of Voters - KQED - October 8th, 2020
- Teenager among first to receive gene therapy treatment for rare condition - NewsChannel 3-12 - KEYT - October 7th, 2020
- Greenbrier County teen to be among first in nation to receive gene therapy for Hurler's Syndrome - WVVA TV - October 7th, 2020
- Regenxbio RGX-121 Clinical Program, And Other News: The Good, Bad And Ugly Of Biopharma - Seeking Alpha - October 7th, 2020
- Women In Longevity Medicine And The Rise Of The Longevity Physician - Forbes - October 7th, 2020
- Timothy Ray Brown, First Patient to Be Cured of HIV, Dies of Leukemia - BioSpace - October 7th, 2020
- Different Types of Childhood Cancer | INTEGRIS - Integris - October 4th, 2020
- Gene therapy company Taysha completes sprint from first funding to IPO - BioPharma Dive - September 26th, 2020
- Focused on the future: Innovative college programs in N.J. pave way for the real world - Jersey's Best - September 24th, 2020
- Burosumab Is a 'Game Changer,' Effective in All Subgroups of XLH - Medscape - September 22nd, 2020
- 10 Forgotten Spiderman Sidekicks They Need To Bring Back | CBR - CBR - Comic Book Resources - September 22nd, 2020
- Genentech Presents New Data From Multiple Phase III Studies of Tecentriq in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer at ESMO Virtual Congress 2020 - Business... - September 21st, 2020
- BCS Announces Partnership With 2nd.MD to Improve Member Healthcare Cost, Quality, and Outcomes - PRNewswire - September 19th, 2020
- Novus Therapeutics Announces Acquisition of Anelixis Therapeutics - Business Wire - September 19th, 2020
- Pace toddler wasn't supposed to survive. Thanks to wonder drug, parents say he's thriving - Pensacola News Journal - September 8th, 2020
- CRISPR can help combat the troubling immune response against gene therapy - The Conversation US - September 6th, 2020
- How Is Ovarian Cancer Diagnosed? Everything You Need To Know - NDTV Doctor - September 6th, 2020
- Genentech Announces FDA Approval of Gavreto (pralsetinib) for the Treatment of Adults With Metastatic RET Fusion-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer |... - September 6th, 2020
- Gilmore Health: A Q&A Session on Genetic Diseases With Dr. Sony Sherpa - Gilmore Health News - September 6th, 2020
- Our teenage son is turning to stone and is becoming entombed in his own body - The Sun - August 28th, 2020
- Gene Therapy: IT Meets Medicine, But Who Is In Charge? - Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence - August 24th, 2020
- Edited Transcript of ISEE.OQ earnings conference call or presentation 5-Aug-20 12:00pm GMT - Yahoo Finance - August 6th, 2020
- Opinion: With any COVID-19 vaccine, humanity will face its biggest moral test - The Province - August 4th, 2020
- These Companies Are Seeking a Cure for Sickle Cell. And Its Just the Beginning for Some Gene Therapy Stocks. - Barron's - July 31st, 2020
- FDA Approves Combination Therapy for Treating Advanced Melanoma - Pharmacy Times - July 31st, 2020
- How Can Technology Help Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic? - IoT For All - July 31st, 2020
- Thomas Jefferson University doctor to be honored at W&J commencement - Observer-Reporter - July 30th, 2020
- First Edition: July 27, 2020 - Kaiser Health News - July 30th, 2020
- These are the most valued tech startups in France in 2020 - Silicon Canals - July 7th, 2020
- What's a life worth in dollars and cents? Should that influence who gets treated for expensive disease treatments? - Genetic Literacy Project - July 1st, 2020
- FDA Approves Genentech's Phesgo (Fixed-dose Combination of Perjeta and Herceptin for Subcutaneous Injection) for HER2-positive Breast Cancer -... - July 1st, 2020
- Conversations Between Patient and Oncologist Are Important in Avoiding 'Common Mistake' When Treating CLL - Curetoday.com - June 28th, 2020
- Drug used in breast and ovarian cancer could lead to safer, more effective treatment for neuroblastoma - The Institute of Cancer Research - June 28th, 2020
- Family Of Dying Santa Clarita Teen Pleads With Community For Donations To Fund Life-Saving Treatment - KHTS Radio - June 24th, 2020
- Hungarian Neurobiologist Botond Roska to Receive This Year's Krber European Science Prize - Hungary Today - June 24th, 2020
- Quarterly summary: the COVID-19 lockdown and the importance of scientists - University Affairs - June 24th, 2020
- Flames assistant GM continues to defy the odds in his battle against ALS - CTV News - June 23rd, 2020
- 3 Reasons to Go Long Crispr Therapeutics - InvestorPlace - June 23rd, 2020
- GRIN Disorder, Kidney Failure and Fathers Day How One Family is Surviving it All - CBC.ca - June 23rd, 2020
- Gene Therapy: Regal Profits From Curing "The Royal Disease"? - Sick Economics - June 18th, 2020
- Cancer patients and doctors carry on with clinical trials during Covid-19 - STAT - June 18th, 2020
- Genentech's Tecentriq in Combination With Chemotherapy (including Abraxane) Meets Primary Endpoint of Improved Pathological Complete Response,... - June 18th, 2020