Southmoreland graduate overcomes adversity to achieve success

For Robert Eckenrod, putting on his leg braces is as second nature as putting on his pants and shoes in the morning.

In fact, strapping the supports onto his lower limbs is the first thing the graduating senior from Southmoreland High School does when he gets out of bed.

The 18-year-old from Everson, known to family and friends as Bobby, was born with spinal bifida, a birth defect characterized by an open spine and fluid on the brain.

The day he was born at Frick Hospital in Mt. Pleasant, Eckenrod was wrapped in clear plastic, placed in an incubator and rushed to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh for emergency surgery to repair his spinal column.

About a week later, he began to develop swelling on the brain and had to have a stent -- or tube -- placed inside his head to allow fluid to drain.

Since then, Eckenrod has had numerous surgeries and other procedures -- far too many for him to count -- to correct his medical problems, which have also included a broken leg and several infections.

Even so, he never lets his situation get him down. "That's the way I was born," he states matter-of-factly. "You just have to deal with it the best you can."

Eckenrod also doesn't let his condition stand in his way. A Boy Scout since the first grade, Eckenrod enjoys camping, biking and other activities sponsored by his troop, including marching in community parades, cleaning up litter from roadsides and selling hoagies to raise funds.

Of late, he has been busy taking part in construction of a trophy case at his church for his Eagle Scout project. For Eckenrod, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout has always been a goal. "It's something I've always wanted," he said. "It means a lot when you get it."

He said he plans to continue to remain active in Scouting by serving as an adult leader.

A solid "B" student, Eckenrod said his favorite subjects in school were math, English and computer science. He said he especially enjoys computers and plans to study computer technology when he enrolls at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood in the fall.

Cheryl Gilotty, a learning support instructor who worked with Eckenrod to help him improve his reading skills, said the teen often helped her with computer problems. She said he also would do the same for other staff and students.

"He's just one of those type of kids who will do anything for you," said Gilotty. "He's just one of those kids who enjoys helping others."

Gilotty described Eckenrod as a dedicated student who would do whatever it takes to succeed in the classroom. "He's very serious when it comes to learning," she said. "He'd go over something as many times as he had to until he got it right. He was really a hard worker."

These days, Eckenrod is dealing with adversity on another front. About three years ago, his mother, Cindy, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Later, doctors discovered that the malignancy had spread to her brain.

Eckenrod, along with his 20-year-old sister, Jackie, have been helping to run the household while their mother battles her disease. "We do the best we can," said Eckenrod. "We try to keep everything together."

Eckenrod said one of the things he wants to do is to get a summer job. He said he also hopes to get his driver's license in the near future. "I just haven't got around to it yet," he said. "It's something I'll need if I want to get around."

Eckenrod is hopeful that now that he is at the end of the growing stage he will face fewer surgeries in the future. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens," he said. "You have to take it one day at a time."