On Thursday, Oct. 25, Budge Porter
and his family were presented the keys to their new Omaha home at an
event that was open to the media. The next three days, the fully barrier
free and wheelchair accessible home at 13522 Corby Street was open to
public tours for a $5 donation or for free to those with physical
disabilities because it showcased construction techniques and amenities
that accommodate the disabled.
The Budge Porter Project, you see, is just
the latest chapter in The Budge Porter Story, and this third-generation
Husker, who followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father to
play for Nebraska, was more than willing to serve as a model for the
handicapped, especially when so many sub-contractors and suppliers
supported this grassroots effort to help Budge, a quadriplegic who has
been paralyzed for 36 years.
On April 21, 1976, Porter used his speed to tackle fabled Nebraska walk-on running back I.M. Hipp
in a spring practice scrimmage. That play was the last day Budge was
able to stand on his own, let alone walk. That tackle broke his neck and
shattered his dreams, but it did not crush his spirit. Even though the
severity of his injury confined him to a wheelchair, he rehabbed hard
and regained muscle. In 1981, Porter received a standing ovation when he
used crutches and walked slowly to receive his diploma on a stage set
up inside the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Son Bret Porter Named after Husker All-American
Three years later, he met Diane LaBerge
when he went to watch his brother, Scott, play for Nebraska in a
non-conference football game at UCLA. Five years after that, the two
married in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and moved to Valley, Neb., where
he was a stockbroker. Times were good, enabling them to pay for
expensive fertility drugs that helped produce three children – Claire, 18, a freshman at UNL, and 11-year-old boy/girl twins Bret (named after former Husker All-American and fellow Nebraska City native Bret Clark) and Brooke.
Talk about miracles. Budge and Diane counted
their blessings every day, but were unable to meet the skyrocketing
medical costs associated with a lifelong disability. Combine that with
an economic downturn and an upside-down mortgage, and the Porter family
finally was forced into foreclosing on their home and filing for
bankruptcy.
Four Men Changed the Porter Family’s Lives
For 25 years, Budge survived the grueling
challenges of daily living and working in a wheelchair. He drove to his
office with hand controls in his car and provided for his family until
two lengthy hospital stays cost him both his strength and his job, but
not his pride, thanks to four people who went out on a limb to put Budge
and his family back on the right track against all odds: 1) Brad Brown, a fast friend who once dated Budge’s sister and started the “let’s build Budge a house that can serve his needs” discussion; 2) Steve Reeder, the first to step up and donate a lot to give that dream its roots; 3) Sam Marchese,
an Omaha business owner who did all the heavy lifting for an August
banquet that raised $120,000 for the cause – the perfect complement to
Brown’s efforts to find builders, suppliers and sub-contractors willing
to donate work or provide deep discounts to make the project a reality;
and 4) Tom Osborne, who coached Budge and helped draw 425 people to a banquet with a Husker legend at every table.
“Because Tom was behind the project, no one
even sent out an invitation,” Budge said. “That banquet took on a life
of its own. We could have doubled the price, and we still would not have
needed invitations. When Tom’s involved, the human spirit rises to the
highest levels from people in Omaha and all over the country, really.”
That includes contributions from Husker fans
in Encinitas, Santa Ana and Danville, Calif. “My wife was born and
raised in Southern California,” Budge said. “She’s always heard that
there’s no place like Nebraska and now she knows why. Coach Osborne has
been a very big part of why that’s so true.”
An Emotional Goodbye … A Hope He Stays Visible
“It was so emotional for me to watch Coach
Osborne take that last Tunnel Walk with this year’s team and then wave
to the crowd after running off the field one last time,” Porter said.
“When he and his family were honored at halftime (of the regular-season finale against Minnesota), my throat was dry, and I had tears in my eyes, just like every other Husker I know that was there that afternoon.
“I know I speak for every Husker fan that I
know when I say I hope Coach Osborne stays around as long as possible as
our Athletic Director Emeritus,” Porter said. “He has the trust of
Nebraskans everywhere … and we all need him.”
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Voices
from Husker Nation
I
went to school with Budge and enjoyed reading about his success. Brad Brown and
I played on the same team in Millard through junior high and high school. We
graduated in ‘79 and then both went to UNL. It’s nice to see him work for
Budge. Thanks for the articles. The make me miss home, Nebraska and the people
there. Rev. Brooks Gibson (Arizona Justice Center, Director of Family Counseling), Glendale, Arizona
Thanks for the article and
update on Budge. I sent a donation earlier this year after living in southeast
Nebraska and competing against Budge in high school. Enjoy reading your
articles. Steve Klingler, Marietta, Georgia
Budge is an inspiration. We should all count our blessings. Craig
Spiegelberg, Vancouver, Washington
