Profile in Courage: Born With Bilateral Schizencephaly, Gabe Cope Has a Black Belt in Life

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Sitting four rows back in the Bethel Lutheran Church on Sundays I used to watch as a remarkable young man named Gabe Cope--the son of Bruce and Jami Cope of Pinckneyville--headed for the communion rail with an aluminum crutch on each wrist and the unsteadiness of a newborn yearling. Smiling and determined, but the whole time a little uncertain of each step.

He made it. He always made it. No one saw me, but I almost always cried as this inspiring young man decided he was going to cheat a childhood handicap. Gabe was born with something called bilateral schizencephaly.

It's a developmental disorder characterized by abnormal clefts in the cerebral hemispheres. Individuals can have motor skill impairment because of it.

The physical impairment masks otherwise normal or high intelligence and quality of life.

"Gabe is one in a million or as Master Longshore would say he is one in a thousand," says his mother. That's the number of students who begin martial arts training and make it to the prestigious black belt level.

Gabe received his black belt on July 2.

Bruce and Jami co-own the well-traveled Perry County Marketplace in Pinckneyville.

"Gabe started taekwondo at age seven," says Jami. His parents thought martial arts would be good therapy for him. Gabe is all-too-familiar with therapy. His parents have traveled the world to garner the help he needs--and they have found it--even at clinics in places like Poland.

"His condition affected his muscles and his balance," says Jami.

He has undergone therapy since the age of 9 months.

"Taekwondo is fun, but also helps with balance and flexibility. After starting with Longshore's Taekwondo in 2007 Gabe has excelled. Since becoming a black belt Gabe has decided to keep going and plans to become a master instructor," she said.'

Needless to say, all around him are very proud.

One of his instructors, Master Lively, celebrates the success, as well. "Gabe is a great student and an inspiration to all. He has a persevering attitude and always gives 100 percent in everything that he does. He never lets obstacles stand in his way. He follows the tenants of taekwondo--courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self control and indomitable spirit and lives them by example. There is no doubt that Gabe will be a true success in everything he sets his heart and mind to do."

Gabe is an eighth grader at the Pinckneyville Junior High. He's an honor roll student. His Iowa test scores are high (really high, in fact in science he tests at the post high school level). He's off the charts as a student and as a friend to those around him.

He looks forward to being a football team manager in high school.

"He's fearless," his dad smiles.

He still stumbles--and will--but it is a privilege for all around him to be there if he needs an arm or a shoulder to lean on.

We should all be this lucky.