Dale Hahn once encouraged his son Cory at his tee ball and Little League games. Dale continued to cheer Cory on all the way through high school, often playing catch in the driveway and working on Cory's swing. All of that dedication paid off. During his senior year at Santa Ana Mater Dei High School, Cory received California's distinguished "Mr. Baseball" award. Cory declined a $300,000 salary offer from the San Diego Padres so he could hone his skills at Arizona State University on a full scholarship. And just like those early tee ball days, his dad was still his biggest fan and most devoted coach.

But Cory's future plans shattered during his third game at Arizona State. As he was sliding head first into second base, Cory broke his neck. Today he's a C5 quadriplegic, paralyzed from the chest down. He has limited use of his hands and arms. The kid who once led his team to a high school championship by pitching five perfect innings, making an over-the-shoulder catch, and hitting a long home run, now battles to eat hamburgers, wash his hair, and wheel to class.

Cory says, "My goals don't take days anymore, they take weeks, they take months." But, as always, Cory is able to stretch toward those goals from the broad shoulders of the guy he calls Pops. "There were times I would wonder, what's better, being dead or being like this?" Cory says. "But then I look up and see my dad and think, If he can do it, I can do it."

When Cory moved back to the Arizona State campus to continue his studies, Dale moved into an extended-stay hotel down the street. Together they get Cory ready for his daily classes. Each day brings a little more independence for Cory. Recently, they celebrated that Cory was using his once-lifeless hands to wash his own hair. Cory is also able to feed himself only after countless days of practicing with his dad. "It was really messy," Cory said, "but we did it."

Together they drive to campus in Dale's truck, where they go from a street parking spot to Cory's first class, with Cory wheeling himself most of the way. Dale says, "I see all these college kids running and skating across campus, and then I see Cory just chugging along in his chair, the world moving past him … and I am so, so proud of him."

"We live for the little victories," Cory says. "We're a team."

After lunch, they go to a gym for therapy, and then his father might drop him off at a Sun Devils baseball practice or game before taking him home for the night. Cory will hang out with friends until about 11 P.M., at which point his father returns to his room to lay him into bed and put the television on a timer and slip out with a simple, "Good night, buddy."

"When you're a dad, you're a dad forever," Dale says.

Possible Preaching Angles: (1) Fathers and Father's Day—Obviously, this story powerfully shows the love, dedication, sacrifice, and commitment that Christian fathers are called to have for their children. (2) God's Unconditional Love—This story also shows God's unconditional love for us. In Christ, God sees us in all of our brokenness and still loves us. God's love never changes based on our performance or lack thereof.