INSPIRATION in the form of courage and dedication can sometimes be found close to us, and few true stories are as close and extraordinary as the difficult journey and achievements of Kevin Crowley Jr. Kevin has deep family roots in HFIAW Local 2. His grandfather was an insulator, and he is the son of longtime trustee, mechanic and foreman Kevin Sr, and brother to 1st year Apprentice Shaun Crowley (shown in photo with Kevin). Today, Kevin is a proud member of the Baltimore Md Police Department, and as you read this account you’ll know that much more is likely to come his way. Kevin’s dream, back to childhood, has been in law enforcement. His vision was clear and direct, but his path to where he is today and may be in the future, was anything but. It’s said that what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, and this is a story of great strength. Kevin Sr. says Kevin Jr. was a pleasure to have around. His goals came early: he would go into criminal investigation and federal law. Graduating from high school, he applied to and was accepted in the field of criminal investigations at Penn State, then opted instead to go to WVU which—by his own investigation and opinion—offered a superior program. He graduated from WVU in 2009, and interned in a coroner’s office and in fugitive investigations. He was soon accepted by a federal law enforcement agency and scheduled to begin training in 2010. The parts of his dream were falling quickly into place. And then they began to disintegrate dismally and literally. Wanting to clear up problems with a bothersome hip prior to training, Kevin went to a doctor. The results were devastating. Only three weeks before he was due to report for training he was diagnosed with a rare condition called Avascular Necrosis; a disruption of blood supply that causes bone tissue to die and collapse. It was bilateral - meaning both hips. The condition is rare, and even more so for a 23 year old with Kevin’s good health profile, but it was unquestionably destructive. The Doctor told Kevin that his dream was over. Kevin would never be able to work in any field as physical as law enforcement. He would be fortunate to walk. Kevin reportedly told the doctor to perform a physically impossible activity upon himself, and left the office angry. He had no intention of giving up his goals. Shortly after, the doctor called Kevin’s parents. He deeply regretted playing a role in the demise of Kevin’s dream, and would help as much as he could. There were possibilities, he said, but they would be painful, long, and difficult. For Kevin the option was removal of 7’ of fibula —the smaller of the two bones in the lower leg— then using that blood-vessel-rich tissue to replace the dying tissue in his hip joints. The tibia —the other lower leg bone— is strong enough to work alone, but therapy would last a year for each operation. Kevin’s strengths physically and mentally, and his unshakeable determination made him an excellent candidate but the road ahead was going to be rough and hard. Surgery would be done at Duke University Hospital, out-of-network, and there would be considerable personal expense. While we hear a lot of negatives on too many medical administrators these days, we should keep in mind that the doctors, therapists, nurses and others in medical work often go the extra mile for patients. Positive attitudes can bring positive responses. Kevin Sr. says that the people involved, including the doctor who had originally written off Kevin’s dreams, consistently went to bat to increase the effectiveness of treatment as well as minimizing out-of-pocket costs. Following 707 days of medical distractions, Kevin was on his feet again and back after his original goal. He reported to the Police Academy in Baltimore 2013 and graduated in March of this year. Kevin is now a proud member of the Baltimore Police. The dream goes on, and having overcome and achieved so much, there’s every reason to believe more success will come his way. Deservedly. Congratulations to Kevin, his support team and the entire family. ———————from the HEATPATH, Local 2 newsletter.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 03:46:54 +0000
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