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Bloomington teen Ethan Glynn ‘keeps pushing through’
Last fall, a neck injury left Ethan paralyzed. Now in his recovery, there’s no place he’d rather be than in the company of his teammates and best friends.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — It’s hockey game night at Bloomington Ice Gardens, and inside the locker room at Rink 2, the Jefferson Bantam Double-A team is getting ready to play.
This was the team Ethan Glynn was on before a devastating neck injury left him paralyzed. There’s no place he would rather be than right here, surrounded by teammates — his best friends in the world.
He missed this connection so much while rehabbing for months in Denver after his catastrophic neck injury that happened in the fall.
He missed them, and they missed him.
“You said to me in Denver, ‘I’m still the same Ethan,’ said Randy Shaver to Ethan.
“Do your friends treat you like you’re still the same?” asked Randy.
“Yeah. Yeah, they do,” said Ethan.
“So, they haven’t let up?” asked Randy. “And you’re good with that?”
“Yeah, that’s what I want,” says Ethan.
The only difference now is, Ethan is a spectator, no longer able to be a participant. Now, he spends game nights surrounded by friends, up against the glass, cheering on his team. But as sad as that is, his parents, Corey and Cassidy, say just being here is a game changer for Ethan.
“I think it’s been amazing,” said Cassidy Durkin, Ethan’s mom. “It’s like a switch went off. I don’t want to say he’s a whole different kid, but just sort of being in his environment with his friends, with his stuff, he’s just smiling and happy.”
Attitude is everything, and Ethan’s mindset is nothing short of unwavering resolve. A perfect example, at a recent physical therapy session at Courage Kenny in Golden Valley, he once again conquered the standing chair.
This isn’t the only progress. He continues to strengthen his upper body.
“I feel like my arm is stronger,” said Ethan.
He’s showing marked improvement from just a few months ago, and it’s just enough to mess with his mom.
“We’ll be getting in the chair in the morning and I’ll have his arms and I’ll go to get his belt on the other side,” said Cassidy. “I’ll come in, his arm is off and I’ll be like, I thought I was careful, and I readjust it and then I go get the belt again. I come back, it’s down again, about the third time. He’s got a huge smile, you know, and he’s sitting there doing it. So it’s, you know, I make it. But yeah, he’s, you know, constantly messing with us, I guess. Same old Ethan.”
Same old Ethan, despite having to use a special mouth device to play video games, he’s still beating his older brother Parker more often than not.
Ethan insists they keep track of his wins on the whiteboard, and he’s still talking smack — which he loves to do.
Ethan and his brother are inseparable. In fact, Parker will be Ethan’s dive buddy. That’s right, Ethan is going on a dive trip. Before Ethan left Craig hospital, he was introduced to scuba diving. And he loved it.
He said it felt so relaxing.
So, cue up the next adventure — a diving trip to Aruba in June with other Craig patients.
Life didn’t stop when Ethan got hurt six months ago. He wouldn’t let it, not for a second. And all we can do now is watch and learn.
“Every day is a smile or it is a wink at us,” said Corey Glynn, Ethan’s dad. “Every day is, ‘Let’s keep busy, let’s keep busy.’ I don’t want to sit here, look out the window [like], ‘What are we doing today?’”
“So proud of him,” said Cassidy. “He just keeps pushing through. Just keeps going — a smile on his face the whole time.”
“Teaches you to give a little grace, you know? I mean, he’s very good at it. He’s had to be with being patient with us and just sort of a lot of life lessons for everybody.”
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The Minneapolis restaurant is celebrating the season with its first-ever Jingle Giles celebration.
MINNEAPOLIS — Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery is getting in the Jingle Giles spirit for the holiday season.
The Minneapolis restaurant has transformed its space into a winter wonderland through the end of the year, complete with fully decked halls, a 16-foot Christmas tree, and thousands of lights.
Guests can look forward to festive pop-up events, themed seasonal cocktails and dishes, and live entertainment.
Executive Chef Matt Reisenger stopped by KARE 11 Saturday to share one of the feature items: Pickle Dip!
Pickle Dip
- 8 oz Philly cream cheese
- 1 Cup Sour cream
- 1 C Duke’s mayo
- 2 whole cloves fresh garlic
- 2 oz. fresh dill
- ½ Cup bacon fat
- 6 strips crispy bacon, chopped
- 2 green onions minced
- ½ jar dill pickles
- ½ C dill pickle liquid
- Salt to taste
- Bake the bacon until crispy in an oven @ 350º F. Reserve the fat.
- Microwave the cream cheese until softened and whisk with mayo and sour cream.
- Mince the garlic, chop the dill pickles, and add the pickle liquid all to the mix
- Add salt at your discretion!
- Garnish the dip with the chopped bacon and minced green onions.
- Serve with chips or crackers. Or your hands.
Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery is located at 1325 Quincy St NE in Minneapolis. Visit their website for more information.
Instead of being a schlub, try on a new look to kick off 2025 in style. The folks at J.H. & Sons at Galleria have some ideas that might help.
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — A new year brings new opportunities, including a chance to remake your style.
Guys, if you’ve got New Year’s plans and don’t know what to wear, the folks at J.H. & Sons Clothier have plenty of ideas. They say upping your game for New Year’s can be the first step in your 2025 makeover, whether the event is formal, completely casual or somewhere in between.
Kevin Luedke from J.H. & Sons stopped by KARE 11 Saturday with a few friends to show off three looks that might work for you. Their goal is to make every client experience effortless and enjoyable while bringing the best in menswear from across the world.
J.H. & Sons has locations at the Galleria in Edina, Sioux Falls, SD and Omaha, NE. Stop by their website to learn more.
“Mom Enough” podcast host Dr. Marti Erickson suggests changing “what do you want” to “what will you do” for others.
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Every holiday season, parents and caregivers often find themselves asking children what they want for Christmas; but developmental psychologist and co-host of the Mom Enough podcast, Dr. Marti Erickson, stopped by KARE 11 Saturday to instead suggest families ask kids what they plan to do for others.
“At every age, from toddlers to teens to the elderly, people are healthier, happier and more confident when they realize that they can contribute something of value to their family, their school, their community,” Dr. Erickson said. “When these experiences of contribution begin very early in life (when a child’s sense of self is first developing), there is a lasting impact on the child’s learning and development. Children learn, ‘I am valuable, I contribute.’ When families reach out to their community together, they reap benefits as individuals and they strengthen their family relationships.”
Dr. Erickson offers these four tips for nurturing generosity in your kids:
Help your child choose age-appropriate ways to give gifts to family members
“Start by asking your child what they would like to give — or do — as a gift for a parent, sibling or other family member,” Dr. Erickson suggests. “If a child gets an allowance and saves money, this might mean choosing a favorite treat, book, or other affordable gift. Or it could be a nontangible gift, such as a ‘gift certificate’ for helping mom fold laundry for the next week or for doing your sister’s household chores the next weekend.”
Let your child do meaningful age-appropriate tasks for holiday gatherings
“Decide as a family how each person will contribute to family gatherings during the holidays,” Dr. Erickson said. “For example, helping get the house ready beforehand, taking guests’ coats, making place cards, setting up a play area and sharing toys with other children. Help kids see through the eyes of your guests, asking themselves what guests would enjoy and how they could help make that happen.”
Choose a service project for your family to do together
“There are countless opportunities – sponsoring a family for the holidays, stocking food shelves or serving meals, doing clean-up on a highway or in a park, preparing gift boxes for refugee families or members of the military and their families,” Dr. Erickson said. “Start small, think about making service a part of your family’s holiday traditions. Then, as you reap the benefits, think about carrying the tradition throughout the year.”
Choose a charity to support as a family, knowing every little bit counts
“As a family, learn about charities in your areas of interest and decide on one to support this year. No contribution is too small and each family member can contribute as able,” Dr. Erickson said.
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