From Danny's Cousin

“Who is your hero” is a question that I have been asked many times. Before, I could never quite grasp the concept of what a hero was. I knew that superheroes were people in comic books who had super powers, but I had never met someone like that. Did heroes truly exist? After seventeen years of searching for the answer, I found it. I found the one man to call my “Superman,” and it is my cousin Danny.

Danny is your typical twenty-seven year old guy who enjoys hanging out with friends and can always be found watching football. He never hesitates to ask me how I am, and I will never forget the time he asked me to dance at our cousin’s wedding. Danny always knew what he wanted for his future, and he worked hard to accomplish that task. On the first try, he passed the BAR exam and began his career as an aspiring defense attorney. Danny was on the right path towards a successful life, until one day one person took everything away.

I can still hear the words, “A brother and sister were found stabbed in their home” blasting through the speakers of the TV on that day in May. I had watched the story unfold on at least three different news stations, and I couldn’t stop searching the internet to find out more. All I knew was that Danny was in brain surgery, and the odds were against him.

It was his sister’s ex-boyfriend who pushed his way inside their house determined to kill. Danny heard his sister’s screams while getting ready for work and ran to her rescue. Because of this, he was stabbed nineteen times in the brain, the tendons in his right arm were severed, and he was kicked so hard that his spleen was lacerated. Now you might make the conclusion that this is the reason why I call Danny my “superman,” but there is more to the story.

One year and five surgeries later, Danny is fighting to get his life back. His days have switched from dealing with law cases to re-learning how to talk, read, and walk. He walks for two hours each day, despite a limp, and works on being able speak more words than “yes”. He has defied all the odds thus far, and I believe that in time he will be able to present his skills as a defense attorney.

Through all of this, Danny has changed my outlook on life. Before, I used to complain about simple tasks, such as going to work, but now I think of what Danny is doing at that moment. I know that he is working hard through the frustration and that gives me motivation. As I reflect back on my time with Danny, I notice that he has always inspired me, but I could never see it. Today, those inspirations are stronger than they have ever been. I believe that if Danny can do it then so can I.

I am fighting with Danny to get his life back by working hard at everything I do. Besides, every hero needs a sidekick, and I am ready to show Danny that I have all of the qualifications.

written by Meghan, Cousin to Danny

UPDATE: Danny begins therapy at the University of Michigan

An update for all our Friends and Family,

Danny left for The University of Michigan Aphasia Program (UMAP) on Saturday. It was a lovely drive, except when it decided to pour on us. It was still good, it wasn’t SNOW. (You know that four letter “S” word) We alternated between country music and good old rock and roll. We sang a bit and talked about Grandparents. Mostly about Grandpa O’Keefe’s laugh and smile. We decided he’d meet this new challenge with a smile and we’d try to be like Grandpa and keep a positive attitude.

Danny’s dog , Sally went with us. She was an angel. She went to her first restaurant. She just curled up and watched from under our table. I did have visions of her jumping up and turning a table or two over but she acted as a pro. She’s come a long way in just a few months. I know we have more work to do with her but the change has been encouraging.

The Marriot is very nice. It seems to be in a good location. The people there are very helpful. It took us a while to unload and unpack, after which we went to take a look around. The college area is really pretty cool. There are lots of little colorful shops and restaurants. It looked a bit like Moeller with all the blue and gold. It was a bit colder in Michigan than here. Michigan’s leaves were a bit more colorful than ours as their fall started earlier.

Danny’s program started this morning at 8:00 AM. He’ll go until 4:00PM every afternoon. He then will go to either Occupational Therapy or Physical depending on the day. For over 65 years, adults with language disorders have come to UMAP, to receive the highly individualized and intensive therapy they offer. Their national ranking is very high. We could only find three places in the nation that offer the program they offer. We’re keeping our fingers crossed and saying many prayers that this will be the help Danny needs.

It was really hard leaving him there, but he and Jim will be fine. (Just a mom thing, I guess.) Sally and I drove home and listened to the Bengal’s game on the way. That was nice, because I knew Danny and Jim were watching it on TV. The Bengal’s won! I know that made Danny happy.

I texted Danny last night and this morning. All is well.

Thank you for all the donations that made this possible. We couldn’t have done this without all of your hard work on the fund raisers and all of the donations. We’ve also had over 5,000 Marriott points donated for their stay. We’ve had money, therapy, food, gas cards, dog training, and fund raisers donated to help Danny. Your support and caring means so much.

The plan is for Danny to stay there with Jim until the first of Feb. (Jim is looking for remodeling jobs to keep him busy. If you have any Ann Arbor friends please let them know.) They will be coming home for Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. If this program seems a positive for Danny, we will try to keep him there as long a possible. So please help us spread the word, every little bit helps a great deal.

Thank you again, 

Kathy

How to Help: Donate Marriott Reward Points

Danny is participating in extensive therapy to help with his rehabilitation in Ann Arbor, MI. Danny and Jim will be staying for 6 months at a Marriott property.  You can help the family by donating available points!
Call Marriott Rewards at 800-450-4442 and ask to fill out a transfer form with the information below.  Sign and fax back (or send) and the points will be transferred.

Any points will help out! The hotel that the O’Keefe’s are staying at requires 20,000 points for a free night.  Our goal is to raise enough points to provide 2 weeks!

Part A: Enter your information and sign
Part B: Enter the number of point you would like to transfer
Part C: Provide the O’Keefe’s account information below
Acct # 163833973
Name: Kathy O’Keefe
Phone: 513.683.8234
Part D: Confirmation Number - 81839741

An Exciting Event and A Letter About Danny

On September 15th, a local chef is preparing a fantastic benefit dinner for Danny.  Several of you have registered but we need many more.  This is going to a fun-filled night of food, friendship and fundraising.  Please click on the following picture to register via paypal.

A letter about Danny:

Kathy, Danny's mom received a touching email from a friend of Danny's and received permission to post it here: 

 My story about Danny...

Danny was my friend when I felt I had none.  When I transferred to Dayton, it
was partially motivated by my difficulty to make strong friendships at Ohio
State.  I found myself two floors above Danny and Kevin Ash, and almost
instantaneously, I belonged somewhere.

If I could relive any part of my life, it would probably have to be that
sophomore year at UD.  Not because it was remotely perfect.  But it was what I
needed when I needed it.  It was easy to be friends with Danny.  We would listen
to music and talk.  Everyone knows how charismatic he is, and how unique his
sense of humor is.  He brought me in and enthusiastically introduced me to his
friends, many of which are my best friends now.  And he didn't do it to gain
something from me.  At the time, I didn't feel I had anything to offer.  He did
it because he's Danny.

I will always treasure my friendship with Danny.

KB

Upcoming Events

Fundraiser in Chicago

 
When:  Friday, September 7th 7:30PM
Where: Crossing Bar - 2548 North Southport, Chicago, IL 60657

There will be a drink package which you can purchase at the door as
well as some great raffle prizes and a 50/50 raffle. Please spread the
word to help make this fundraiser a success for Danny and his family.

Email kevinkirkpatrick@gmail.com with any questions.

Cooking with Caitlin Fundraising Event

Saturday, September 15th

Saturday, September 15th, together with The V Collective, Great Lakes Brewing Company, and YOU, Cooking with Caitlin is hosting a Third Thursday-type food event with a Caitlin-ed up menu of Danny O’Keefe’s favorites. From the gorgeous kitchen where everything Cooking with Caitlin is filmed, we will serve nine course of clever cuisine in bite-size proportions. Every sip and bite will be donated, and every cent will go to the family.

WHEN: Saturday, September 15th, 7-9ish pm
WHERE: The V Collective, 21 Whitney Drive, Milford 45150

100 tickets at $100 apiece. With at least $10,000, we will send the O’Keefes home with their bellies full. And just a couple days later they will leave for Michigan where the specialized therapy is.  Visit Cooking with Caitlin to register for this awesome event.

A Night at the Pub

Saturday, October 6

On May 6, 2011 Danny O’Keefe was involved in a terrible tragedy; he was victim of a violent assault. Danny has made great progress and will be traveling to Michigan to continue his road to recovery. There he will be receiving speech therapy and hopefully ongoing physical and occupational therapy. This is a great opportunity for Danny and his family, but insurance does not cover the funding needed for this. The O’Keefe’s are an amazing family, let’s take from their enthusiasm and help raise money to cover th e cost of these very important therapies for Danny’s recovery! Here’s How! Saturday, October 6, 2012 at Westy’s Pub (7820 Camargo Rd.) Please join us at 7pm for a night of fun, drinks, prizes and most importantly a great cause! A $10 donation at the door includes drink specials, door prizes, appetizers and your chance to help the O’Keefe’s! Raffle tickets will be sold throughout the evening and winners will be chosen at 11pm. All proceeds and donations will be directly gifted to Danny and his family. For further details regarding the family and donations please visit http://helptheokeefes.blogspot.com For further details on the event please email questions to nightatthepub@gmail.com or visit Night at the Pub's Facebook page.

A Letter from Scott

From Meghan

In short, Danny was my childhood.  And to think, even though we had known each other since we were each other’s first kiss in 6^th grade… our story really all began with one particularly humiliating high school happening.

When I was 15, I got asked to the homecoming dance by one of Moeller High Schools studliest bachelors.  I was thrilled.  The day was getting closer and closer and I had the perfect dress, the perfect shoes, and the perfect stick-on hair crystals that made me feel like Princess Di. (I was that girl.)  What wasn’t so perfect though, was my “dream date.”  He wasn’t calling me to tell me the plans for the dance that was very rapidly approaching.  I tried calling him a couple times to get some information and establish a friendship with him before the big day, since I didn’t know him very well.  He never called me back.  I brushed it off, dubbing my new beau to be as the elusive/spontaneous type. 

The night before the dance, I still hadn’t heard from him.  I went to a high school football game to take my mind off things.  He was there.  I saw a crowd of kids circling him- laughing at his jokes, trying to impress him with their wit, wishing they were him.  I walked up to the crowd. 

“Hey _______!”  I called out.  He turned my way, and upon seeing me, rolled his eyes to everyone else. 

“Yeeeeah?”  I froze. “What. Do. You. Want?”

“Are we still on for the dance tomorrow?  Should I come to your house or are you coming to mine?”  He took two steps in my direction.

“Jesus, just leave me alone, I’m with my friends!”  Everyone laughed at me.  I was humiliated and most probably spent the rest of the evening crying into a pillow.

The next day I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t even know if he was planning on me going with him or not.   The dance was rapidly approaching and I was pacing back and forth the house in my party dress and slippers.  I didn’t hear from him until a half hour before the dance. 

“Yo, be here in 30. We have a limo.” Click.  

I mean, SERIOUSLY?! 

I screamed with rage and (naturally) exploded into a fit of tears.  My mom came upstairs I dished about my entire situation.  We both decided that I absolutely should not go because he was rude and disrespectful to me.  I pretended to be brave rather than disappointed and terrified at what his reaction would be.

At 7:10 the phone rings again.

“Where are you? What do you mean you’re not coming?  Screw you, you suck anyways.  Going to be more fun with out you b----.”  More tears.  Hugs from Mom. The phone rings again. 

“Hey Meg, it’s Danny O’keefe.  I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”  Danny was in the limo with _______.  It could have been so easy for him to ignore the situation since he wasn’t involved, but he cared about me enough to check on me. He apologized for his friend.  He let me know that he thought I was a great person. That he cared about me. And he wished me to have a good night, despite everything.

I hung up the phone smiling.  So much so that my mom made a comment about how I was bipolar.  And that’s the power of a truly genuine and caring person, ladies and gentlemen- Danny O’Keefe.

We went on to become the most idyllic of high school sweethearts imaginable.  Danny would throw clumps of mulch at my window just to talk to me from below.  He set up a romantic dinner for me on our anniversary.  On my birthday, he brought me a caramel frappuccino (my fave) and a cake before he went to school.  He lit the candles with my parents and carried the cake up to my room singing while I was still sleeping.  We kept each other out of trouble.  Didn’t get into anything most high school kids get into because all we needed was each other’s company.  We motivated each other to be the best we could be. 

I remember studying for the SATs together in my living room.  It was tough!  But we were, and still are, determined to be huge successes in life.  When I found out that my parents were getting divorced, Danny was one of the only people who could really understand how much this pained me.  I have a couple other close friends who knew my family and were amazing.  But nobody knew them like Danny did.  They were his family too.  He cried with me.  He was angry with me.  He was and still is always there for me.  I was in Los Angeles at the time, but when Danny would see my mom out while she was going through the divorce, he’d give her a big hug, telling her that he loved her and was there for her. 

He’s always been such a good man.  And I’m honored to know him and have him in my life.  Just the other day my grandma went to see him.  It was her birthday and he gave her a present.  Even with everything he’s going through in his life right now, he’s still thinking of others. 

There are so many awesome stories that I have to tell about Danny, but I’m not going to go on and on because it will probably embarrass him.  I know this already has.  He can be a shy one! 

I know Danny doesn’t want to be put on a pedestal, having people call him a hero all the time.  He appreciates it, but he just wants to focus on improving.  Not reliving what happened last year.  Danny is an amazing person and he did an incredibly brave thing.  But he did what he had to do- for his sister and for himself.  Any person capable of the huge ability to love that Danny possesses would have done the same.  More than anything, Danny wants and needs to get better.  Nowish, if possible J. 

He wants his life back to normal.  He wants to be able to communicate everything he’s thinking.  He wants to be able to move freely.  Run again.  Drum again.  Practice law again.  He wants a normal life.  Marriage.  Kids. 

I know he will have this someday because he is determined, motivated, and optimistic.  But until things are back to normal, every day is exhausting and he is incredibly frustrated.  Every day is a struggle.  How couldn’t it be- having to work so hard for things that used to be automatic for him and working his entire life to achieve a certain level of success, only to have some evil man try and take it away from him?  Please help.  Please donate whatever you can to help my friend get his life back to normal.  No one deserves it more than him.  He’s tops J.