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Keeping a positive outlook photo by Drew Fleming Residents of Eagle Point embrace Juan Knapp By Kris Henry EAGLE POINT � Although getting better every day, the limp is still there. All it takes is for that lean, 6-foot-3 figure to come into view and right away you know it�s Juan Knapp. Closely cropped black hair, glasses and an omnipresent smile help round out maybe the most recognizable image in Eagle Point. Then again, the 16-year-old sophomore was a definite presence well before the April 7, 2000, car crash that left him with that pronounced limp and without three family members. "Everyone in town knows Juan Knapp and always has," says Eagle Point athletic director Bob Bergen. "He�s just one of those great big kids, real friendly. He really touched a lot of people�s hearts in town. When (the accident) happened, it was amazing how everyone came together." The story has been told and retold on how Knapp, his older sister, Carlie, and parents Stephen and Catherine were en route to Reno, Nev., for a wrestling tournament when the journey turned tragic. The Knapps� 1989 Dodge Colt swerved into the path of a pickup, resulting in the deaths of Carlie, Stephen, Catherine and the 60-year-old driver of the truck. Juan Knapp suffered collapsed lungs, a detached liver and a broken leg, pelvis, tailbone and jaw. While he fought for his life in a Redding, Calif., hospital, the community of Eagle Point pledged to always be there for Juan. Nine months later, that pledge is still in effect as Knapp and his grandmother, Anita Molinar, say they occasionally have more help than they know what to do with. "It�s like one giant family here," says Molinar. "They�re all wonderful people. They can�t do enough. It means the world to me. If Juan needs anything, they�re right there for him." It was Molinar who made it possible for the return of Eagle Point�s favorite son, agreeing to move from New Mexico to be Knapp�s guardian until he turns 18. She hopes to be joined soon by her husband, A.J., who is looking to sell the family�s business in Albuquerque, but has no regrets about the prolonged separation. "When Juan arrived here and the way people received him made everything just fine for me," says Molinar. "I knew I made the right decision." Be it donations of money, time or family services, the Eagle Point community has made the transition for Knapp and Molinar as smooth as possible. In return, the community has been blessed with a remarkably positive force in Knapp. "It�s amazing how emotionally strong that kid is," says Bergen. "He seems to always be an upbeat kid. He just handles things so well. "I think he�s coming out of this about as good as anyone. Losing just one member of your family would be hard enough but imagine losing your whole family. It�s amazing how well he handles it." That sentiment trickles down to Eagle Point students as well. "It�s kind of surprising he�s so happy all the time," says Eagle Point senior Blake Cam. "Nothing seems to bother him." Probably the only person in Eagle Point not surprised by that is Knapp himself. "I�ve always kept a positive attitude through the whole thing," he says. "It�s been pretty easy to stay positive." Knapp has gotten used to talking about the accident. When approached by others wanting to help him deal with the loss of three family members, it�s often Knapp who ends up being the shoulder to lean on. "I�m just happy I�m here," he says. "Someone said this is the worst thing that could happen to me. I told them I could either be crippled, have brain damage or be dead. That�s how it could have been worse." That type of blunt offering is typically what you get from Knapp. In every way, he appears to have embraced what happened and moved on. "The thing about Juan, he doesn�t really dwell on any of that," says Eagle Point wrestling coach Brad McBee. "It�s like he�s at peace with what happened. He�s just going to play the cards that were dealt him and make the best out of that." McBee and the top-ranked Eagles have helped Knapp remain an integral part of the wrestling team by having the sophomore videotape each match. He also helps instruct the fifth- and sixth-graders in Eagle Point�s club program. He attends all varsity matches and as many practices as he can handle. If Knapp hasn�t come to grips with anything, it�s that he is unable to wrestle with the team. "It�s not too fun sitting up there watching everyone when you can�t be down there wrestling," says Knapp, who has his weight back up to 208 pounds. Getting back on the mat is what drives him these days. He�s been doing a lot of running and a little weight lifting. A plate and screws in his right leg are scheduled for removal in May. "I will be out there next year," he says unfaltering. "I feel a little better every day." It�s important enough that he was able to return this year. "He�s the nicest kid you could ever meet," says Cam, Knapp�s workout partner last season. "It�s just nice to have him around still. Even if he can�t be on the wrestling team, he�s still a part of us." And a big part of Eagle Point as well. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.