I am a 45-year-old married man with 2 adult children, aged 24 and 22.  I am almost completely disabled, (I'll briefly explain how and why a little bit later in this essay).  Currently, we reside in Fayetteville, NC , we moved there from Miami, Florida after the incident about which I speak below.

I'd like to tell you, (and the world), about the most WONDERFUL person on earth!  I would also like this person - my wife, of over 25 years, (my God, has it been that long?), to be granted a wish; or maybe it's a wish for me – for her, (our), story to be made more widely known.

Now, I know that the initial reaction would be to dismiss this; saying that most men would say nice things about their own wives, but if one reads this essay, they'll come to see, because I'll begin to touch, (it would be functionally and literally IMPOSSIBLE to keep this relatively short and properly explain the graciousness and kindness of this woman.  I'd probably need to write something on the order of the classic book, "War & Peace" to do more than that), on what it is that makes her so sweet and so special.

Flashback to 24 August 05 1992.  That's when an incredible downward spiral began in my life, one that would've sent the average woman running for the hills.  As I live and breathe, I swear, (by everything that is holy), this woman espouses the phrase " for better or worse" more than anyone on the entire planet.  My family and I were dealing with the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Andrew, (we nearly lost our house; in fact, our roof was blown nearly completely off).  Fast forward to 7 April 1993, (a day that'll be infamous forever, as far as I'm concerned), that's the day that a young construction worker, who was temporarily in Miami because of the aforementioned storm), who decided to get drunk and drive one night, run a stoplight and strike our car.  My entire family was in, (and were injured), the car.  But, I sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury.  As I've previously mentioned, ANY mortal woman probably would've fled in sheer panic; the three letters: TBI sounding a death knell on/for their relationships.  NOT to/for my baby though.  We've not only continued as a couple, but we've actually flourished in the 13 years since our accident!  As the accident left me disabled, (I'm currently confined to a wheelchair), she's become my primary caregiver and caretaker.  She unselfishly does everything for me, including, but not limited to, (not by a long shot): bathing me, clothing me, and feeding me.  She's THE most generous and THE most thoughtful person I've EVER known!!!

She has raised two boys, essentially by herself, (I could offer only moral support); now, they are fine young men!  Whenever we've needed her to, she's had to put on, (which she does without complaint), any hat that my family asked.  Be it that of a chauffer, a banker, a shopper, an accountant, a mother, or a wife, she's always ready.  Also, (as if all that weren't enough), she's opened our home to troubled and/or disadvantaged foster children, (she grew up as a foster child herself).  Her rationale is really quite simple: " I've made it, I'm able to help, and I have to help them."  Her desire to help, (the kids), hasn't been a passing fancy either, we've been doing this, (taking in foster children), for over 13 years now; and we've taken in over 70 foster children, (who've been in our home anywhere from a few days to over a year).

I can't think of anybody, (alive or dead), more deserving of being granted a wish.  If I know her, the things that she wants probably won't come first; in fact, she probably won't wish for a million dollars, as I would, and probably half of all humankind would.  She probably won't wish for anything mundane or trivial, no, she'd probably wish for something for somebody else!  Due to my current condition, I can only offer her my unending love and my undying devotion.  For anything else, I'm in need of assistance, and that's why I wrote this!

I don’t think that I could EVER do ANYTHING that even REMOTELY approaches PROPORTIONATE when, (if ever), it comes time to repay my wife for giving me, nay, for positively showering me with such an extreme amount of LOVE, KINDNESS, and GENEROUSITY!  I can however, thank her.   And, I can do so often, I can do so profusely, I can do so repeatedly, and I can do so LOUDLY!  

-Philippe J.M. Arrieux