Fundraiser planned for Perryville teen

When suddenly our lives are turned upside down, how we respond says a lot.

For Perryville 14-year-old Dru Hemmann, her life-altering moment was a May ATV accident that resulted in her left leg being amputated above the knee.

Her response?

"I've just kind of realized that this is it, and (I) just have to deal with it, get back to normal life," Hemmann told Southeast Missourian reporter Lindsay Jones.

This attitude is one that we should all try to take when things aren't going our way, regardless the severity of the situation.

Dru's life will never go back to being "normal," at least not the normal she knew prior to her accident.

She wears an "ill-fitting prosthetic device," but has gotten back into her routine of playing volleyball, a sport that along with track she had been named Female Athlete of the Year in following her eighth-grade schoolyear and mere weeks before the accident.

"She will dive and land flat on the floor," her mom, Tracy, said. "She definitely gives it 110 (percent)."

Part of Dru getting back to normal "means confronting every possible obstacle without asking for help," according to the article.

But Dru has plenty of people that have backed her throughout this tough time.

An opponent -- Valle Catholic -- presented her with an $800 check prior to a volleyball game in August, and now Perryville High School has organized a fundraiser to help with medical expenses.

A Glow Stroll Community Fun Walk/Run will be held following a football game between Perryville and St. Vincent on Friday. Registration is $10 for adults, $5 for children and $100 for teams of up to 15. A registration form is available at perryville.k12.mo.us/domain/435.

While she's got a new normal, we believe that the strength that Dru's shown will help her achieve whatever she sets her mind to.