As Brodie Bell nears his 16th birthday, his parents Michael and Sarah want to give their son as much independence as possible.
Bell, 15, battles Duchenne muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair.
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“We want our son to have the independence he deserves and needs as a 16-year-old,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Bell. “Nothing devastates me more than to see him cry when dropping a plate and breaking it screaming ‘I just wish I could walk!’ We try to give him a ‘normal’ life as a teenager but there are things that we as parents can’t provide other than prayers.”
Bell, an incoming sophomore at Conroe High School, has a goal of getting a job like other teens. He wants to eventually learn to drive and help with daily activities like cooking with his mom and doing the dishes.
To help the Bell family purchase a motorized, standing-assist wheelchair the new Conroe nonprofit Honor Up is hosting a fundraiser at 5 p.m. Saturday at Honor Café, 103 N. Thompson Street in downtown Conroe. A Cajun-style meal will be served and there will be live and silent auctions. The wheelchair Brodie needs costs $54,000.
Honor Café — a veteran and military themed restaurant — is owned by U.S. Marine Corps veteran Chris Sadler and his family. As Sadler met veterans in need who visited the restaurant, he wanted to do more to help them and organized the Honor Up group with support from community members to help veterans and their families.
Saturday’s event is their first fundraiser.
Brodie Bell was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at age 3.
“He was very active and a good crawler and walker,” said his mom, Sarah. “We noticed though that his fine motor skills and gross motor skills weren’t where they needed to be.”
A therapist noticed he’d get from the ground to a standing position by using his elbow which was a sign of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
“The prognosis was that by six he’d be in a wheelchair and most boys diagnosed with this disease don’t live past 12,” she said.
He began to use a wheelchair at age 13 about the time the family moved to Conroe. Michael Bell is a recruiter at the U.S. Army Recruiting Station in Conroe.
Due to the nature of Michael Bell’s job, the family is in a rental home and they are unable to make any permanent adjustments. While the home has an open-concept plan that allows Brodie to move about in his wheelchair, the kitchen area with its tight turns is especially problematic.
A standing-assist wheelchair would allow him more mobility in the kitchen and the ability stand at the kitchen counters. He likes to cook and would like to get creative in the kitchen.
The family is also looking at the possibility of a shower chair that is $5,000 so that Brodie can transfer in and out of the shower on his own, a big step toward his independence.
When not in school, the quick-witted teen likes playing video games and building Lego sets. His past Lego creations are on display in his room.
Legos also figure into his future plans.
“I want to go overseas and work as an engineer for the Lego company,” he said.
He also likes working with his mom and dad on their business, Rough and Ready Flags. The company makes wood décor and handcrafted wooden pieces.
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Brodie received his own lathe for Christmas and has made several artistic wooden pens. The family also is involved in The Ark Church in Conroe.
The family moved from the Dallas area during the pandemic two years ago and found it difficult to be with out the support system they had in the Dallas area.
“I don’t have my tribe here,” said Sarah who grew up in Grapevine, Texas. After meeting U.S. Marine Corps veteran Howard Wood and others associated with the Conroe veteran’s community, Sarah said she’s finally getting that sense of community.
“To have people supporting him and making him feel good is wonderful,” she said. “At the end of the day, I just want him to be happy.”
For more about the Honor Up organization, visit the group’s Facebook page.
