I occasionally hear the phrase, “taking a leap of faith,” and that leap can come in many different forms. However, on this January day of 2005, this leap of faith actually required that Bryant, after falling 180 feet off of this very spot, leap (with a repelling rope) off of the same cliff eight months later.
This story is chronicled in Catie Hartsfield’s book, The Year of the Cicadas. After facing an unbelievable battle to relearn how to walk, eat, and communicate, Bryant now wanted to face his adversary square in the face. He felt that he needed this to overcome the traumatic life-altering event that fractured his neck, cut his carotid causing temporary paralysis on his left side, and a traumatic brain injury. Bryant wanted to conquer this huge obstacle to get his self-esteem and future back.
Going over the edge
At first, Steve and I, as his parents were not behind his repelling, or even returning to the spot. Our own fear of him being injured once again was too much for us to face. Once we realized he was set on doing it with or without us, Steve and a friend of Bryant’s, accompanied him back to the very spot where this traumatic life-altering trauma happened.
It was a quiet event, no fanfare, just the three of them. Bryant faced his fear and went over the edge, changing the course of his life forever. The man that arrived at the bottom of the cliff this time was not the same young man that had been at the top a few moments before.
Bryant, victorious after finishing his repel down the cliff
Steve is physically and emotionally wiped after watching Bryant’s repel.
Facing your fears is not without risk, not without fear, and not without faith. What is holding you back?
You can hear Bryant and Catie talking to Scott Sloan from 700 WLW about this here.
Catie
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The Year of The Cicadas 
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