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Hey Man! I don't sing with my legs. Daniel's Story

This is the story of my now 23 year old son Daniel. Daniel was born 6 weeks premature with various medical problems including breathing problems and cerebral palsy.
At age 5 he informed us he was going to be a singing, preaching, drumming, comedian. To this day I am thankful I have no room for drums.

Despite having numerous surgeries ,13 of which were orthopedic, Daniel has always been a happy go lucky child. He grasp life with all it has to offer. Due to some breathing issues in his life he was on Oxygen from age 12 - 14, had taken aerosol treatments since 2 along with various other medications just to breathe. How ever he still sang.

At age 5 he sang his first song in a church, a song entitled "God on the Mountain", sung originally by the group the Mc Kamey's . A friend of ours played the guitar and propped Daniel up against his leg so he could sit up to sing. Several years went by after that before Daniel sang in a church again. He breathing problems and cerebral palsy looked like it would take the best of him.

At age 13 despite wearing oxygen and rolling in a wheelchair, He would sing anywhere anyone would listen. Boy did you have to listen even with a mic at full blast , you had to strain to hear him sing that one song , he would be gasping for breathe. We even had a gentleman tell us not to let him sing, it took to much out of him. Gasping and grayish color in the face, he told this guy, "as long as I have breathe I will Praise the Lord. Ain't no rock crying out for me."

At age 14 while sitting in church, Daniel informed me he no longer needed his oxygen, God had a work for him. I just automatically said OK. (thought to my self I may argue with a lot of things, but God's not one of them). He took his oxygen off, we went back to the doctors office the next day, they ran test and to this day he no longer uses the oxygen, or the breathing medications. One week later Daniel was singing again, this time you had no trouble hearing him and to this day he is still singing.

We still, today, are asked if God could heal him from breathing problems, why not the cerebral palsy, Daniels reply ,"Who says He's finished?" I often wondered that myself at times. However now, I have seen the people Daniel is able to inspire. Now at age 23, he is still singing. Daniel's many accomplishments are including but not limited to be an award winning soloist (over 13 awards), recording artist, a songwriter, children's story writer, ETA (Elvis Tribute Artist), an Inspirational speaker and disability advocate. He plays baseball on a league called the Moody Miracle League (a league for individuals with all types of disabilities from ages 3 & up. Our oldest player is 66 years old.).

Daniel has spoken and sang at national disability conferences (2 so far this year ), He has performed the National Anthem at the Barron's Baseball games for the past 6 years, for UAB Girls Softball , Race Fever an event supporting the Alabama school for the deaf and blind held at the spring Nascar race in Talladega, AL for over 5 years. And last but not least, he was interviewed and performed the National Anthem on Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (a show featuring the Miracle League). In 2003, he even tried out for American Idol -a first round reject. Said the only thing that bothered him about being rejected in the first round was re didn't get to meet Simon, oh well. That's not going to stop him. Currently he is releasing his first National Release to Christian radio. A song entitled ,"Tll Run With You". This is a very inspirational song.

We have come a long way, many ups and down. Daniel can now walk on a walker for short distance. And on his web site is a picture of him standing on one crutch (that lasted about long enough to take the pic).

Daniel sings from his wheelchair. We have had several people ask how do sing sitting down. That's when he came up with the remark about , "Hey Man I don't sing with my legs !"

To hear sound clips of his music , please visit the website at http://www.danielrayministries.com . Listen to the sound clips, take a look at the picture gallery, etc. You'll see someone who is full of life and ready to tackle the world.

You know we always hear life isn't a bed of roses. Take a moment and think about it, even if it was behind that beautiful rose is a stem full of thrones. And I know one day Daniel will run with us.

Updates:
Since I wrote this, Daniel has worked as the Disability Outreach Team Leader for Governor Bob Riley's re-election Campaign. He has since performed the National Anthem at the Governors Election Return Party. The seizures have come back. After having an EEG, MRI, MRA, they found that he had a bleed on his brain. His remark to this news was, "Now we know I have a brain or it couldn't of had a bleed."

Wrritten by Elizabeth Ray
http://www.danielrayministries.com

Daniel was performing at a benefit sing for Josh to get a new wheelchair. Josh is the young man singing with Daniel in the pic.	Daniel after performing for the D-795th Platoon at Fort Leonardwood, MO	Daniel performing at an Elvis Tribute Artist Competion - Memphis, TN
Daniel & Elizabeth at Graceland - Memphis, TN	Daniel being interviewed at KNLP Potosi, MO	Daniel playing baseball at the Moody Miracle League Park in Moody, Alabama
Daniel performing on the main stage at the 2006 SGM Fan Fair in Chattanooga, TN

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