How one bull rider bucked the odds
Devastating brain injury brought fears of death, but now couple's faith and marriage are stronger.
How one Weatherford bull rider bucked the odds

By Ed Godfrey

Published: February 15, 2008

WEATHERFORD — When a bull weighing nearly a ton stepped on Lee Akin's head one year ago at an Alabama rodeo, doctors didn't think the four-time PBR finalist would live.

A couple of surgeries later, including one to remove part of his skull to relieve brain swelling, they concluded that the Weatherford bull rider would live, but he wouldn't have much of a life.

Doctors told Akin's wife, Mary, tests showed there was too much trauma to the brain and brain stem. The outlook was grim. However, what the CT scans couldn't measure was the grit of a tougher-than-nails bull rider and the power of countless prayers.

Mary is convinced those are the reasons her husband is not only alive today, but walking and talking and making what some are calling a miraculous recovery.

"Two doctors in Alabama and numerous doctors and nurses here have used the word miracle,” Mary said. "I didn't expect anything less.”

Lee, 33, never will ride bulls again. He struggles with some memories and to say everything that he wants.

But between speech and physical therapy sessions, he likes to go fishing and play with his 16-month-old daughter, Jada, something his doctors never would have predicted.

"The bull stepped on the left part of his brain, which controls language, therefore names are really confusing to him,” Mary said. "He still doesn't know my name. He knows who I am.”

Lee is not the same man he was before the injury, but in some ways, according to Mary, he is even better.

"The rodeo community knows Lee's faith in God,” she said. "We have put God in the center of our lives, and that's what has kept us going.”

So instead of wallowing in despair after Lee's injury, the couple's faith has gotten stronger. Mary said it's been taken to a new level.

So has their marriage.

Lee was so independent before, he really never needed her, Mary said.

"We rely on each other a lot more than we ever needed to before. I am a completely different woman than I was a year ago. Lee is a different man, and for the most part, it's all for the better.”

Lee doesn't remember everything, such as his injury. He knows how badly he was hurt from what Mary has told him.

He does remember that he loved to ride bulls. The trophy case in his Weatherford home provides proof that he was pretty good at it, too.

Under glass are championship belt buckles — four PBR victories including the 2004 Bullnanza at the Lazy E Arena.

Above the trophy case is a photo of Akin in the National Finals Rodeo, which he qualified for three times, riding a bull that is seemingly bucking the lights out of the arena.

"He was good, a good bull,” Lee said, gazing at the photo. "He would really buck. I wish I could still ride the bulls. That would be awesome, but realistic, it's over. But that's cool. There is a lot of good stuff that I want to do, you know what I mean.”

Lee spent two months in intensive care in a Montgomery, Ala., hospital after the injury last March, showing no signs of response. Part of the time, he was in a medically induced coma to speed healing.

He then was transferred to the OU Medical trauma center in Oklahoma City and on Memorial Day weekend, something started clicking with Lee.

"He started eating,” Mary said. "His body didn't work but his brain was. He wanted it to. He started saying small things. He sang Jada the ABCs.”

Lee then spent 45 days at the Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Hospital in Oklahoma City before going home to Weatherford and has been making huge strides since.

His speech keeps improving, although Mary understands him the best of anyone. He works with speech therapists five days a week and has physical therapy three times a week.

Lee is determined to cowboy up.

"I would love to get back to talking better,” he said. "I would love to get over it and be normal again. I'm going to keep on trying. I'll figure out a way.”

"His attitude has been spectacular,” Mary said. "He's been so upbeat and he is so driven. He works out every day and complains very little. He knows that he is injured. He knows where he is lacking.”

Mary makes some money as a fitness trainer but, fortunately, Lee had the foresight to buy an insurance policy on himself. Mary is still amazed that anyone would insure a bull rider.

The rodeo world also has rallied to take care of the Akins. Most recently, there was a benefit auction held for them in December at the PBR finals in Las Vegas.

But what's helped more than the money was the multitude of prayers from friends, family and strangers, Mary said. The Akins have received e-mails of support and prayer from all over the world.

"They say every vote counts. I believe every single prayer counts,” Mary said. "I don't doubt it for a second.”

Next month, the Akins plan to return to the Southeastern Livestock Exposition and Rodeo in Montgomery to say "thank you” and show the community the miracle of Lee's recovery.

Mary has been told that victims of traumatic brain injuries don't improve as much after the first 18 months, as a general rule. Doctors caution her that how Lee is today may be the best he ever gets.

But she is confident that one day her husband will be whole again. He's beaten the odds so far.

"They would have never told me a year ago that he would be walking and talking and telling me what he thinks,” Mary said.

"The same characteristics that brought him to be a bull rider, the same grit, the same toughness, are the same characteristics that are going to get him through this.”

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