The kid…

See this kid? Of course you do, but a lot of people don’t… This is my nephew Kolton Rushford. This kid has seen a rough month, and is struggling with that teenage angst we’ve all felt, and been through. But, this past weekend we had a huge break-through! Kolton and I had a moment, and we worked through it. He came through with a determination, and not your typical, I’m going to go sit and pout and carry on… No, instead, he impressed the entire crew working with us and the 48 Hour Challenge, Crawl for a Cause. 
Kolton had the odds stacked against him, a lot of naysayers, doubters, and haters made it very clear to him, that He couldn’t do this event, let alone finish it, he had no place being there. Well, let me tell you it doesn’t take much to tear a teenager down, and make them feel worthless, but with true Rushford stubborn pride, Kolton stood up to the challenge, and took all negativity on the chin like a champ.
The 48 Hour Challenge was brutal, and it claimed a lot of people that were just there for a few hours. It tried to claim Kolton on our third climb up when he rolled his ankle. Through courage, strength, and pure pride, Kolton finished the third climb up an down. We thought it best that he chill at the bottom, run his rc on the man made course, or just wheel around while he sat, until night, and if he felt better, he could come with us. 
Through the weekend Kolton tried his hardest to make it up and down the mountain, and he could get half way, but the pain in his ankle was just to much to bear. So, he kept manning the base camp, and wheeling his rc fingers to the bone. Then came the final hours of the 48 and we were headed up the mountain one final time to bring this event to it’s final ending. Kolton stood up, and said, “I’m going, I’m not going to miss this last ride”. So with that, up the mountain we went, with a sore and hobbled Kolton. 
We were climbing and came to the point when it was time to head back to base camp, and claim the 48 hours as ours. We turned around and made one final decsent. As we got closer and closer, we could feel the excitement within our little group of four. Our pace quickened, and hearts pounded with excitement. As we crested the final road, about 200 yards, Kolton says, “we should run, let’s run”, and with that, we started running to the finish line and the crowd of people that had gathered to watch us end this event. Kolton lead the way, we followed this young man to the cheering crowd. We crossed the line, and started to celebrate.

After the initial chaos died down, I searched through crowd of people to see what Kolton was doing, through a crack in the chaos I saw Kolton standing there by himself staring at the mountain, he had a look on his face I hadn’t seen before on him. It’s a face I know well, because I make the same one, he had a half a smirk and his eyes squinted at the mountain that laid at his feet before him. He had that, What? I can’t hear you anymore, look. It was smug, defiant, and a little eff youish. I had to go over and hug him, and tell him how proud of him I was. Even though we had a tiff, we both rose above and through it, together. Kolton came into this 48 hour challenge a babyfaced 15yo punk, and came out the other side a 15yo kid with a side of manliness. Not a lot of people can do what Kolton did, and he has every right to be proud of what he accomplished. He may not ever hear the roar of a crowd from sports, or other achievements, but he heard it that day, and that will echo for an eternity in his memories. 

And a side note for you disbieviers, Kolton BROKE his ankle and still finished the 48 RUNNING….. Hang your head up high Kolton. 

So, before you go judging a book by his cover, before you go and project your own insecurity and inadequacies, before you just assume your better than someone, BEFORE you cut my nephew down, just know he’s already defeated the biggest bully in his life, himself. So whatever you THINK you know, you don’t. So just stop. This kid has a heart of gold, and the sweetest disposition I have seen out of the entire Rushford clan.
This kid made history…. 
Love you Kolton,

Uncle Worm