Meet Merlyna Valentine.
Merlyna was a hard-working school principal at an elementary school just outside New Orleans back in 2007 when she was stricken with sepsis. She was placed in a medically-induced coma and given about a 10 percent chance to live, but God had other plans. The severity of the illness caused her to lose both of her hands and both legs below the knees, and she became a quadruple amputee.
When she was told she most likely would be unable to return to the rigors of day-to-day education and her role as a principal, well, Merlyna basically said "watch me." She learned to walk on prosthetic legs in about six weeks -- when therapy usually requires at least six months. Why such a rushed timeline? Because the first day of school was in six weeks, and she was determined to be back on the job she loved, serving her staff and her students.
So after two long years of recovery and change, Merlyna made good on her promise and was back in her role as principal at St. Rose Elementary School. She now travels all over the world, telling her story and inspiring educators to fulfill the role they all have in changing lives every day in the classroom.
Merlyna is a rock star, not just because she's a quad amputee, but because she's an educator commmitted to touching and improving lives in spite of being a quad amputee. Her circumstances do not define her. Her actions and her response to those circumstances are what makes her an inspiration to so many.
As the school year approaches fast within the next few days, let's all take a moment and pray for our teachers, our school administrators, and our students as they return to school. In my profession I am honored to meet many such heroes as Merlyna on a daily basis. Their stories may not be the same, but the results and purposes usually are.
We drop our children off at the school door every morning with the expectation that time spent in the classroom, with their teachers, will make a difference in their lives. Folks like Merlyna Valentine make it a lot easier to trust those expectations.
You can read more about Merlyna's story and how she continues making a difference at https://www.sherovalentine.net/about.
-- David Weaver/Write Team Services
