Ours is a marvelous society, one that I can appreciate. At times, however, it mutates into something so horrific that I don't want to believe my fellow inhabitants of this world are responsible. Such is the circumstances that I now find myself in, six years after my son, Willie, was the victim of a random brutal beating, and left for dead by a gang that didn't even know him. The beating left my son a tetraplegic; he is unable to control his trunk and his neck. He has limited use of only one arm and leg. And because of the repeated blows to his head, which caused hemorrhage of the major artery that feeds the brain, Willie is now severly mentally challenged. For several years my wife and I have sought help for Willie, who needs constant, around the clock, attention. Technological advances in our society have provided a myriad of tests, procedures, medicines, and techniques, but none were able to go that extra mile and help my son.

We were introduced to Sharry because Willie had seen a documentary about her work. Willie insisted that I call her for him; I was hesitant. I certainly didn't think that she would be able to help him further. But my son would not give up, so I relented and faxed her office on a Saturday. Within just a few hours Sharry called us at home, and set up an appointment to see Willie at our earliest convenience. Again, I was skeptical; I had accepted the fact that there was little chance of improvement for his condition. Years of physical therapy and medication had improved Willie's condition a great deal, but it seemed to me that we had reached the pinnacle of Willie's potential to get well.

When we met Sharry, I felt that she was a warm and intelligent woman with a sincere desire to help Willie. That's all well and good, but I held little hope. Sharry explained the technique of BioAccoustics to us, all the while maintaining that it was still experimental. She was honest, telling us that she had never had another case like Willie's. She made no promises, other than that she was willing to try.

The usual mode of evaluation is to use a computer scan of a person's voice to find stressed frequencies. In Willie's case this was impossible, since he was nonverbal. Instead, Sharry noted the frequency that was emitted by the muscle of my jaw, and used it as a base on which to develop my son's personal sound formula. I watched in awe as a father. Since the beating, Willie had not been able to close his mouth. His physical therapist had taught him to lean his chin on his fist for his school pictures, so that his face would appear "normal." As Sharry worked with Willie, however, an incredible thing happened: for the first time, Willie was able to control his jaw muscles. He could once again close his mouth! A small victory to some, perhaps, but for Willie it was a miracle.

For Willie, that was just the beginning. With continued work, he has also gained mobility in his shoulder and had the ability to bench press 20 pounds. If I hadn't been there, I wouldn't believe that sound has helped him reach the stage he is at today. He can roll over, can stand with help and focus both eyes together. He has finished high school and started college. He can even say a few words. As an experienced observer, I had to begin to question why I hadn't heard of this technique before. As I did some research of my own, I realized that Willie wasn't the first miracle that had occured from this technique. I also learned that even Sharry doesn't know exactly why or how this technique works...like me, she only knows that it does. As a pioneer of a nontraditional technique, however, she knows that it will be up to her to supply the necessary proof. Sharry is well on her way to that end.

I truly believe that our education system, and our egotism, limit our ability to accept those things outside our established, comfortable patterns of belief -- especially when trying to define "science," and what we think it should be. It usually takes either a great catastrophe or eons of slow, meticulous evolution to change the world. The work Sharry Edwards is doing will make such an event tangible in my lifetime. In fact, to me it seems that she already has.

Bill, Willie's father, is the chair of Project Train, a committee set up by the governor of Ohio to assist and provide services for the handicapped.