Live the Lion was created in an attempt to keep everyone up to date on Lance O'Cull and his road to recovery.

Lance was involved in a car accident near Morehead, Kentucky about 30 miles from where we grew up Thanksgiving weekend of 2010. He was airlifted from the scene of the accident to UK Medical Center in Lexington. The doctors told us that they could fix everything below the neck, but his brain was in God's hands. On December 22, after multiple surgeries, Lance was transferred to The Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia for an intense rehabilitation program.

It was there that Lance began to gradually emerge from a coma. Lance was discharged to home, in Vanceburg on February 17th, to continue his therapy with family.

On March 10th, Lance's 25th birthday, he stood on his feet for the first time in 103 days, with lots of help. On May 11th, Lance was accepted into Cardinal Hill's brain injury unit. There he impressed and amazed our family and friends, as well as his therapists through the progress he made everyday.

Between September 2011 and April of 2012, Lance was back and forth between Cardinal Hill's inpatient program and Shepherd Center's inpatient and outpatient program. He has had a couple minor surgeries to enhance his healing and a baclofen pump inserted to help with the tone in his body.

For the past year, Lance is back in Lewis County splitting his time with both parents. He continues to travel to Ashland 3 times a week and Lexington once a week. He is learning to walk again and we couldn't be more thrilled.

It hasn't been easy, Lance has had some setbacks and tears still fall. But he is up and running this marathon. And we are all running right along beside him.

Most of the blog entries have been made by myself, Chelcee, the big sister, Brock, our baby brother, and Dr. Johnny, our dad. Our goal is for Lance to finish this blog as soon as he is able.

God has been with Lance and our entire family, giving us strength. We give Him the Glory. He is the God of Miracles.



~Chelcee




Wednesday, August 8, 2012


 I figured that since Lance has begun to update this own Facebook statuses, he will want to write his own blog soon. And I wanted to get one more post in before that happens.  
Lance is amazing and improving so much in so many ways. I saw a picture of my family when we were featured in the Ledger back around Thanksgiving, and he was so skinny! Sometimes, I think you can see the most change in him by looking through pictures. So, here ya go! 
Miracle Meets Miracle


On December 26th, 2011, one of my very best friends, Trisha, gave birth to this little guy, Gavin Cole Weddington. 
He was due on April 10th. He weighed 1 pound and 9 ounces.  After 3 months in the NICU, he was able to come home. Now, he is over 13 pounds and doing great! 
Trish and I couldn't wait for Lance and Gavin to meet, so finally in June, Miracle Gavin met Miracle Lance. 

Earlier in the summer, Lance and I attended one of Peyton's ballgames. 

            Some of you know that we purchased a handicap van with a hydraulic lift for Lance's         wheelchair last year. With his improved strength, he no longer has to ride in the wheelchair and can help us maneuver him into one of our vehicles. Thats Peyton with him in the minivan. 





Lance loves to take pictures with his sister. :) 






To the right.. first time in Grandmas pool in 2 years.
The water was warm, my mother nearly had a stroke and my dad was out of town. Thats the only time we get to do anything fun. ;) 
But we got him in and he loved it! 







Thats the three of us at Kenny's on Fathers Day.  Aren't we sweet?










Lance got two new rides this summer. 
The minivan was a little high for him to get in and out of, so he got a Ford Flex. Its awesome. 

 To the right is him in his new wheelchair, we hope we aren't in that thing too much longer... and there is Peyton again, one of Lance's best friends. 


Lance with one of his other best friends, Grant on the back deck
Dad recently put the stationary bike out in the garage, to see if Lance could do any good with it. The first mile was a little rough with trying to keep his feet on the pedals, but the second mile he did without any help from us. Since then he has been pedaling away, increasing the intensity and pushing himself. 
As you can see, there is a small picture of Coach Calipari on a license plate on that wall. That is of course, Lance's motivation. ha! 


Hanging out with his great friend, Mary at Orange Leaf. :)


Lance finally got a haircut! Courtesy of Amanda Grayson Switzer at J. Curtis Salon. 





Whitney and sweet baby Tate often come to visits when Lance is staying with mom. 
I think that most of Lance's personality is the same. One things that has changed is his thoughts on babies, he is no longer afraid of them. 
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