LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — I’m feeling a bit like Tim Farmer as I write tonight.

Farmer is the well-liked host of the popular and long-running Kentucky Afield program produced weekly by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. Farmer got his dream job by having an infectious personality and a broad background of outdoor knowledge. Neither of which is the reason I am feeling like him.

For those that do not watch the program, Farmer suffered an arm injury as a 20-year old Marine when he lost control of his Kawasaki KZ40 on I-64 near Grayson. He would lose most of the use of his right arm in the accident. 

While grilling chicken in the backyard something distracted me for a moment.  I could smell the hot embers and smoky barbecue sauce. There is something prehistoric about meat cooking over a fire. Men love that sound and smell, unless it is your thumb and pointer finger that are cooking. In that moment of distraction, I had grabbed a hot metal spatula. It took longer than logic can explain for me to drop the blazing utensil.  When the pain reached my brain, I actually spoke Chinese. My left hand had been rendered useless.

I spent the rest of the night one-handed. My left hand felt like the scene from a cartoon when a character hits their hand with a hammer and it starts glowing red and thumping like a drum. The only way to ease my pain was to carry a cup of ice water in my left hand with my fingers submerged.

Opening a pepper grinder required tucking it under my arm and popping the cap with my good hand. To get in the door, I had to set everything down, turn the knob, pick everything up, put it down, and shut the door.  It was inconvenient. It was annoying. Of course, my injury in no way compares to what Farmer endured.

Farmer bow hunts with one arm, holding the release in his teeth.  He fishes by using his mouth to turn the reel. Poor little Mitch had to open and pour a two liter with one hand.

As inspiring as Farmer is to the thousands that watch Kentucky Afield, he cannot match Clay Dyer. Dyer will be speaking at the North Laurel football kickoff banquet Saturday at 6 p.m. Do yourself a favor and attend.

Dyer was born with no legs and only a portion of one arm. He makes a living as a professional fisherman and motivational speaker. That should be enough to make us all decide to never feel sorry for ourselves for any physical limitation.

The clip World’s Most Inspirational Fishermen can be seen on YouTube and will change your definition of a disability.

And I will not complain again about having to type with one hand while my other hand soaks in a cup of ice water.



MHOWARD@sentinel-echo.com