January 6, 2024

The end of the year always inspires folks to look back on the last 12 months and to count their blessings. I’m no exception, but my introspection is probably different from most people. My yearly reflections revolve around my deer season, and reflecting on 2023 proved difficult to find as many positives as past years.

The past few months have been eventful for 12-year-old Chasity Skerik, her mother Leah, her dad Greg, and the rest of her family.
About a year ago, the Bemidji, Minn., seventh-grader experienced seizures that were later determined to be caused by a tumor on the right side of her brain. In April, she underwent seven hours of surgery to remove that tumor and, after the medical professionals determined that it wasn’t cancerous, Chasity worked through six weeks of rehabilitation before finally receiving the all-clear to resume the activities of a constantly on-the-go kid.