Inspired by You'
By WAYNE BAKER | Wednesday April 11 2007, 5:51am

MILAN


Register photo/ABIGAIL BOBROW JoLynn Stallings touches Tom's cheek in their home in Milan after they finished watching, "An Inspired Journey," the video they made with Mary Ann Creamer chronicling Tom's struggle with ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Creamer of Sandusky recently started Inspired By You LLC, a company that creates autobiographical videos of people's lives.





For the past five years, Tom Stallings has battled ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

It is a disease with no known cure or treatment.

But his spirit and faith have propelled him outside the confines of a failing body.

And all of his spiritual strength is now on video tape, captured by former Huron teacher Mary Ann Creamer.

They watched the video for the first time Monday.


"I am pleased with the movie. It is an accurate portrayal of my message," Tom stated via computer. "It is very well done. We are appreciative of the love and hard work that went into this project. We are thankful for all the help and support that so many people have given us on this journey."

Tom communicates these days via a special computer armed with software and hardware he operates from his wheelchair. He relayed his thoughts on screen.

"I wanted to do this to inspire and encourage others who are or will face any adversity," his message said. "I want everyone to know that there is always hope. My source of hope and inspiration is God."

Stallings, who also taught at Huron High School, began having symptoms of the disease in 2002. He was diagnosed with ALS more than two years ago.

ALS attacks the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movements. Victims lose the ability to move their arms and legs during the final stages of the disease. They lose the ability to control their diaphragm and must use a ventilator to breathe.

Patients are expected to have a life span of two to five years after the on set of symptoms, so the Stallings family knows their time together is limited.

But Tom Stalling is not your ordinary terminally ill patient.

His belief in God and family has guided him gracefully through the horrors of ALS.

But he needed a way to put his thoughts and life in a format that could be shared with family friends and others who may need in spiration to get through tough times in life.

Creamer entered the picture and now his story is preserved on DVD.

Her new venture, Inspired By You, is a video company that will create an autobiographical documentary of one's life.

"My intent is to videotape people when they are healthy so their friends and family can remember them that way," said Creamer, who was a health teacher for 19 years. "Video is a much easier format than writing a book. You can get a better feel of the person. I wish I had done something like this for my grandmother so I could listen to her voice."

She wanted to work with Tom and his family to put his life on tape since his story is inspirational.

"This was also a fundraiser for the family," said Creamer, who did the project free of charge. "But Tom's story is so special. He is an inspiration to everybody. He was very enthusiastic about doing this."

She started the company in September 2006 and a few weeks later began working on telling Tom's life story.

Interviews with former students, colleagues, family, friends and church members were compiled on tape, edited and then presented to the Stallings family for the first time Monday evening.



As Tom's wife, JoLynn, sat beside the wheelchair he is now confined in, wrapping her arm around him, they watched the premiere of his life story unfold on DVD.

In many images, he is healthy, standing strong and proud with his wife and three kids around him.

Students talk about how his caring touch and guiding hand kept them in the classroom. Church members offered praise for his ability to face ALS without bitterness or resentment toward God. He has been a man of faith, begging all who will listen to keep their faith and not let adversity put them on the wrong path.

He even penned the words to two of the songs on the accompanying soundtrack. "Faithful Servant" and "Somebody's Hero," which aptly describe his life.

With tears running down her face, JoLynn wiped her face and her husband's as the 42-minute DVD entitled, "An Inspired Journey," played. At the conclusion, it was clear the impact of the documentary hit the mark.

"We are very pleased with the movie. It was very well done," she said, turning to Creamer who joined the couple to watch the movie.

The family recently received a new van and a special device called a Pacer diaphragm which should help his breathing and hopefully avoid a ventilator. Proceeds from the sale of the DVD will help defray costs of the van.

According to Creamer, the DVD will be available at Sawmill Creek in Huron, Sheri's Coffeehouse in Norwalk, Captain's Quarters in Sandusky and Full of the Dickens in Sandusky.

She said to complete a video the cost can range from $350 to $1,700. "It depends on the person and what is involved," Creamer said. "I outsource all of the video work and the major cost of doing a project is the editing.

She said people interested in having a project done or getting information can call her at 419-621-5426 or by e-mail, mailto:inspiredbyyou@%20bex.net

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