CMT Winneconne High grad inspires others

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Winneconne High grad inspires others

http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20070606/OSH0101/706060362/1987

By Wolff of The Northwestern

WINNECONNE – When Jon Proxmire looks at his high school yearbook he

feels a little twinge of regret.

His photo is missing from among the array depicting the activities

during the fall of his senior year at Winneconne High School. He

missed the entire first quarter due to illness.

But, immediately after mentioning the regret, he goes on to talk

about all the great things he's experienced throughout his school

years in Winneconne. Achieving his Eagle Award in Boy Scouts was the

pinnacle, he said.

" He's an inspiration to a lot of people. He has overcome obstacles

and kept a positive mental attitude, " said Principal Jim Smasl.

Proxmire, 18, has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, an hereditary

progressive neurological disease that affects the peripheral nerves

and typically includes weakness of the foot and lower leg muscles.

It can result in foot drop and a high-stepped gait with tripping and

falls. About one in 2,500 people are afflicted in the US, including

Proxmire's mother Deb, who was diagnosed when her son was a baby.

Proxmire was diagnosed at 4, so he's been dealing with it throughout

all his school years. He's had surgery numerous times. The disease

has barely slowed him down. He graduated Sunday eighth in his class

with GPA of 3.9.

" He's been phenomenal, getting through all this tremendously because

of his positive attitude, " his mother said.

Proxmire had surgery in July on both legs where surgeons lengthened

his Achilles tendons and removed three pieces of bone to help

collapse his foot and reshape it to keep it from becoming claw-like,

Deb Proxmire explained.

Soon after, at the start of his senior year, he developed

infections, which required three additional operations and a long

period in a wheel chair. Later on he developed an intestinal

infection, too.

" He's been through the mill, " his mother said.

One good thing to come out of the hours spent in hospitals was a

desire for a medical career. Proxmire will attend Marquette

University in the fall to study biomedical engineering.

He recently re-injured his foot, but was able to walk up to the

podium without a trace of a limp to collect his diploma during

graduation exercises in the school gym.

Proxmire doesn't dwell on his limitations.

" I can do everything normally, but I get tired and fatigued more

quickly, " he said.

The sports he played in his younger years have been abandoned but he

continues to play golf and go camping, canoeing, and dirt biking.

" I just have to be cautious., " he said. " I just try to use the

abilities I have. "

One of the ways Proxmire has excelled is in leadership, Smasl said.

" His Eagle project is the epitome of what community service is all

about, " Smasl said.

Proxmire planned and oversaw the building of a quarter-mile walking

path by his school.

" Every day when we come to work we see the path. It's a great

reminder of a young man who overcame physical disability. It's a

fantastic thing that will endure, " Smasl said.