Clayton Hildreth's Story

Published by the OMAHA WORLD HERALD on 7/15/2004
By: JULIE ANDERSON, World-Herald Staff Writer

Determined to fly like an Eagle
Boy Scout won't let physical limits keep him from pursuing his dream

CEDAR BLUFFS, Neb. -- Clayton Hildreth's fellow Boy Scouts and instructors don't have to push him to try new things.

So far during a weeklong Boy Scout camp at Camp Cedars, he's gone fishing, fired a muzzleloader and practiced tying knots.

Like the 425 other scouts in camp this week, he's practicing the skills he needs to advance through the Boy Scout ranks. He wants to be an Eagle Scout.

But the 12-year-old from Council Bluffs faces a few more challenges than most other Scouts. Clayton suffered severe injuries in a house fire at age 3 that left him with one eye, one ear, one thumb and no toes.

Not that he lets on.

"It's impressive to see Clayton with severe physical difficulties, and it doesn't seem to slow him down much," said Geoff Kline, area director for the Scout program Clayton's been involved with during the week. "He just seems to keep going."

In fact, he's been that way from the beginning, said his grandmother, Martha Hildreth. Clayton lives with his grandmother and his grandfather, Warren Hildreth.

Doctors told the family that Clayton wouldn't live through the night after firefighters rescued him from a burning house in May 1995, a fire authorities blamed on faulty electrical wiring.

But he did.

"At the hospital, they called him the miracle child," his grandmother said. Clayton joined the Scouts in March. He's also participated in Special Olympics. He will attend Kirn Junior High School this fall.

"It's fun," he said of the Scouts.

He proudly pulled out his "Totin' Chip," a card certifying his Scout rank. He also demonstrated how to properly handle a knife.

Mike Mayne, Troop 1270's scoutmaster, said the Scouts have made a few adjustments to accommodate Clayton.

He uses a small sheath knife because he can't safely open the folding pocketknife that Scouts usually carry, Mayne said. Clayton can tie some knots. For those he can't, he'll be allowed to advance if he can talk someone else through the process, Mayne said.

"We're going to find a way," Mayne said. "We're going to make him an Eagle Scout."

The Tangier Shrine in Omaha provided a golf cart for the week to help Clayton get around more easily. He can walk, but he can't manage long distances. A sign proclaims it "Clayton's Corvette."

Paul Koch, a 16-year-old Scout, volunteered to help Clayton through the camp.

"He's pretty cool with me, so I figured I'd come out here and help him out," Koch said.

"He's cool," Clayton said of Koch.

During the fishing lesson, Koch helped Clayton up the steep bank. He helped Clayton cast his line into the still waters of the camp pond, quietly explaining what to do if he got a bite.

"He can do stuff by himself pretty well," Koch said. "You've got to let him try stuff."

Koch, who had been considering dropping out of Scouts, received special permission from camp officials to drive the golf cart. Usually, only those 18 or older can drive vehicles at camp.

"Can I push the gas, please?" Clayton asked on the way to lunch. "Just once. Please, please, please?"

The pleading didn't work.

Mayne said the Scouts in the troop stick up for Clayton if someone does something that might be hurtful. Troop members elected him chaplain aide, a job that requires him to say grace at meals.

They offer to help him. Sometimes he accepts,
sometimes he completes the task himself.

"Just watch," Mayne said. "It's neat."