WILLIAM PATRICK MITCHELL

Billy

 Written by Terry Conner

    I’ll never forget that phone call.  My son phoned to inform me that Billy had been born.  At first I didn’t believe Larry, as it was over three months until the baby was due.  I hopped the next plane and really was amazed when I first laid my eyes on that little fella.  He was so tiny having already lost some of his original 2lbs. 7 oz. birth weight.  His entire body lay on a preemie diaper in the incubator and he had wires and tubes everywhere.  Really though, he was beautiful even then.  Mom and Dad took him home when he was 3 ½ months old and weighing only 6lbs. 13 oz.   At some time during his first six to eights months of life, the doctors told Amie and Larry that he would never roll over or say a word.  Boy, were they wrong!  These parents simply would not accept negative reports on their boy.  Then and now, they are always teaching Billy new things and decided not to treat this boy as a handicapped child.  When he misbehaves…. he is reprimanded.  When he does well…. he is praised.

    Billy started his life with more than his share of problems.  Besides being blind, he is shunted, had breathing problems, heart problems, sclerosis, eventually had to be fed thru a G tube and on and on.  This little guy never quit.  What heart he has!  Whatever this ole world threw at him, he pressed on and made the best of it.  My goodness, how he amazes me and fills me with so much pride.

    One of my favorite “Billy” stories happened while his father was talking with me on the phone.  He was just a toddler and crawling around on the kitchen floor.  There were heating pipes low on the wall above the floor.  It was spring so they weren’t on.  Billy had a toy and was banging loudly on the pipes.   His daddy told him to stop that.  He waited a short while and started banging again.  His daddy told him to stop again as it was just too noisy.  The third time he banged the pipes his daddy told him that he would pick him up and take him out of the kitchen if he didn’t stop.  Then I heard Larry roar with laughter.  It seems Billy stomped his feet to make it sound as though he had left.  I heard Larry laughingly say, “I’m sorry buddy, but I can see you and I know you didn’t leave the kitchen”.  Good effort Bill!

    On Billy’s third birthday, I called him up to wish him a Happy Birthday.  We were chatting and I told him that I bet he would get a birthday cake.  He told me, “No, nana I don’t get a cake”.  Later, when I was talking with Amie, I asked her why Billy wasn’t getting a birthday cake.  I heard her say “Billy Mitchell…. I know you can smell that cake baking in the oven this very minute”.  To which Billy replied in a sweet sing song voice, “ got you in trouble with nana”.  What a little imp eh?

    When JR was 5 and Billy was 4, I had been talking with their Dad about preparing JR for kindergarten.  A few weeks later, I got a call from my son asking me if I would like to hear my grandson say his ABC’s.  Of course!  Then I heard ” abcdefg…lmnop…xyz, how’s that Nana?”  Naturally I said that was wonderful and to put dad on the phone.  Well, I gave my son what for!  I couldn’t believe that JR didn’t know his alphabet!  I was so angry and all my son did was laugh!  Finally he told me, “mom that wasn’t JR, that was Billy”.  I couldn’t believe my ears; I was so amazed.  I remember crying for joy and being so proud I could burst!         

    Another thing our Billy boy is famous for is “name that tune”.  He is truly awesome!  He can hear just a couple of notes from one of the thousands of songs they have and he can truly name that tune!  He is also very adept at singing along with his favorite songs and he has a beautiful voice.  At Christmastime in ’99, his bonka got to know  “the chipmunk song” really well, as Billy loved to play it over and over and over!

    I love it that my Billy always wants to go to his Nana’s hotel!  That’s what he dubbed our home after his first visit here.  I am impressed by how quickly he learns his way around.  His favorite thing to do here is go out on the patio and to walk back and forth to open and shut the French doors.  He makes up great stories as to where he is going each time he goes to the doors.  My personal favorite is the North Pole to visit Santa Clause.