Be at My Side

The end of high school and the start of another one of their growing children entering adulthood should have been a time of celebration and joy for the newly remarried Paul and Erica Richard. Instead, with five children between them, one isolated, cold night would come to define their indefinite futures. A routine ride on a longboard skateboard while hanging out with his friends would result in their middle son, 17-year-old Dylan, falling and suffering a severe traumatic brain injury. The ensuing struggle between life, death, COVID-19 restrictions, and insurance limitations would alter the course of all their lives forever. This powerful book is about learning to be happy living in a place you never expected to be. It is an inspirational story and a compelling example of the power of love and prayer in times of extreme personal trial. Family, friends, and community, all come together to help one young man in the fight of his life. How they were able to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives to support Dylan and one another through this horrific accident is also a loose blueprint on how to navigate health insurance, doctors, and special services to give a loved one some of their promising future back.