Student Story: Lawrence FitzGerald
"Look at my picture—it is a live picture of an old man who has been told he was supposed to have died several times, ok! But I am not ready to go. I have too much school work to do so I am not ready."
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While I sit here and write my story, that may or may not interest you, there is an ever-present wind blowing about outside my apartment, and if you can believe it, it’s the 23rd of April and we are having snow. Now that those gruesome details are out of the way, I will give you some new ones that will really scare you…
I am 65 years old, a minister, very active working with the elderly as well as an assistant chaplain at our local hospital. And, if that isn’t enough, I am an assistant prison chaplain at the local county house of corrections.
I am a native Massachusetts boy, but now reside in New Hampshire. I have lived in Portsmouth, NH before moving to Dover, NH, all of which bring me to why I chose New Hampshire. You see, I am an old stubborn man but my sons and wife ganged up on me and said, Dad you’re moving to New Hampshire to be closer to us. My health had started to take a nose dive early in 1996. I had experienced a heart attack and was not expected to survive too much longer—fooled them didn’t I?
I ended up moving to New Hampshire and having major open heart surgery in which my heart didn’t want to restart. After returning home, I experienced a major stroke after which I couldn’t speak, much less move. After that, I suffered from many debilitating TIA’S (mini strokes) but I was determined not to be bed bound. I fought tooth and nail for ten years while in a wheel chair and on oxygen 24/7. I was not going to vegetate. I spent years reading and studying the arts, and my wife encouraged me to start writing again.
Two years ago I started writing a children’s book of short stories, and finally had it published in October 2011. My second book is on its way to being published as I write this blog. But ok, enough about this old man… lets talk about Ivy Bridge College.
I had seen Ivy Bridge College and another university at the same time—both were really interesting to me and the choice was hard to make, but I chose Ivy Bridge College because they seemed most proficient in helping me get started. I wanted to aggressively pursue the field of criminal justice in order to become more familiar with the inmates I worked with.
One professor who has been a great encouragement to me is Professor Bozeman. He has been fantastic and I owe him a debt of thanks. Over the past year, I have been hospitalized several times, not knowing whether my time had come or not, but each time I was too stubborn to stay down. Oh sure, I spent many a time in rehab, but I also had my laptop with me and my school work. I would be a bit on the slow side sometimes, but I would get my work done.
My tutors have been fantastic, and have believed in me. I thought that I couldn’t make it this far, health-wise or academically, but they kept me going. I Mike Warring as a tutor and it’s just unbelievable the amount of confidence he instills in a person.
Whatever your situation, think positively, and don’t let anyone try to convince you can’t do something. Remember the story of the little train that kept on saying I think I can, I think I can...
As a fellow student, and an old one at that, I know you can do whatever you put your mind to, because most of you can be stubborn just like me. Find someone like a family member, a success coach, or perhaps a tutor, maybe all of them, who can pull for you. You’re not alone at Ivy Bridge because there are people who hope for your success. You don’t have to be ill or dying to strive for the highest pinnacle, just keep moving forward. And yes there are going to be bumps in the road to success, but keep moving.
Look at my picture—it is a live picture of an old man who has been told he was supposed to have died several times, ok! But I am not ready to go. I have too much schoolwork to do so I am not ready. My challenge to you is be as stubborn as me, and remember that there are all sorts of support out there for you. When I was in the hospital I got such nice cards from the staff, wishing me a speedy recovery. It’s just unbelievable the support and encouragement. I spent almost a month unable to see properly, but was pushing all the time to succeed in my classes. I was even told to contact the instructor to see about getting an extension to finish my work. Not me, I pushed through because I felt I owed it to my instructor, tutors, and peers. You can do it too. I’m not great or any different than you are, we are fellow students.
Greetings in peace!
While I sit here and write my story, that may or may not interest you, there is an ever-present wind blowing about outside my apartment, and if you can believe it, it’s the 23rd of April and we are having snow. Now that those gruesome details are out of the way, I will give you some new ones that will really scare you…I am 65 years old, a minister, very active working with the elderly as well as an assistant chaplain at our local hospital. And, if that isn’t enough, I am an assistant prison chaplain at the local county house of corrections.
I am a native Massachusetts boy, but now reside in New Hampshire. I have lived in Portsmouth, NH before moving to Dover, NH, all of which bring me to why I chose New Hampshire. You see, I am an old stubborn man but my sons and wife ganged up on me and said, Dad you’re moving to New Hampshire to be closer to us. My health had started to take a nose dive early in 1996. I had experienced a heart attack and was not expected to survive too much longer—fooled them didn’t I?
I ended up moving to New Hampshire and having major open heart surgery in which my heart didn’t want to restart. After returning home, I experienced a major stroke after which I couldn’t speak, much less move. After that, I suffered from many debilitating TIA’S (mini strokes) but I was determined not to be bed bound. I fought tooth and nail for ten years while in a wheel chair and on oxygen 24/7. I was not going to vegetate. I spent years reading and studying the arts, and my wife encouraged me to start writing again.
Two years ago I started writing a children’s book of short stories, and finally had it published in October 2011. My second book is on its way to being published as I write this blog. But ok, enough about this old man… lets talk about Ivy Bridge College.
I had seen Ivy Bridge College and another university at the same time—both were really interesting to me and the choice was hard to make, but I chose Ivy Bridge College because they seemed most proficient in helping me get started. I wanted to aggressively pursue the field of criminal justice in order to become more familiar with the inmates I worked with.
One professor who has been a great encouragement to me is Professor Bozeman. He has been fantastic and I owe him a debt of thanks. Over the past year, I have been hospitalized several times, not knowing whether my time had come or not, but each time I was too stubborn to stay down. Oh sure, I spent many a time in rehab, but I also had my laptop with me and my school work. I would be a bit on the slow side sometimes, but I would get my work done.
My tutors have been fantastic, and have believed in me. I thought that I couldn’t make it this far, health-wise or academically, but they kept me going. I Mike Warring as a tutor and it’s just unbelievable the amount of confidence he instills in a person.
Whatever your situation, think positively, and don’t let anyone try to convince you can’t do something. Remember the story of the little train that kept on saying I think I can, I think I can...
As a fellow student, and an old one at that, I know you can do whatever you put your mind to, because most of you can be stubborn just like me. Find someone like a family member, a success coach, or perhaps a tutor, maybe all of them, who can pull for you. You’re not alone at Ivy Bridge because there are people who hope for your success. You don’t have to be ill or dying to strive for the highest pinnacle, just keep moving forward. And yes there are going to be bumps in the road to success, but keep moving.
Look at my picture—it is a live picture of an old man who has been told he was supposed to have died several times, ok! But I am not ready to go. I have too much schoolwork to do so I am not ready. My challenge to you is be as stubborn as me, and remember that there are all sorts of support out there for you. When I was in the hospital I got such nice cards from the staff, wishing me a speedy recovery. It’s just unbelievable the support and encouragement. I spent almost a month unable to see properly, but was pushing all the time to succeed in my classes. I was even told to contact the instructor to see about getting an extension to finish my work. Not me, I pushed through because I felt I owed it to my instructor, tutors, and peers. You can do it too. I’m not great or any different than you are, we are fellow students.
Greetings in peace!
Lawrence is a student in Ivy Bridge College's Associate of Criminal Justice in Law Enforcement degree program.
