'Strongest woman I know.' Why a Niles football player draws inspiration from his mother
NILES — Julian Means-Flewellen knew Oct. 20 was going to be a big day for him.
It was Senior Night for the Niles football team. Not only that, but it was a chance to win the Wolverine Conference, with the Vikings taking on unbeaten Paw Paw in a showdown at Viking Field.
There was even more meaning for the senior, though. His mom was going to be able to join him for Senior Night festivities, something that seemed impossible six years prior.
Watch: Julian Means-Flewellen gets to enjoy Senior Night with mother
“It was just a special moment because, growing up, she was my biggest supporter and my number one fan,” Julian said. “To walk her on that field with me was such an amazing moment.”
It was a moment most never thought could happen after the events of Sept. 25, 2017.
The car accident that changed everything
It was a normal Monday for the Flewellen family.
Mother, Jennifer, dropped off her three children — Skylar, Daeton and Julian — to school in the morning. She began her drive to work, Bittersweet Pet Resorts in Niles, heading down Chicago Rd. by Ballard Elementary School.
Everything changed in an instant.
Jennifer crashed her car into a light pole. She was taken to the hospital in Niles first before being transferred up to one in Saint Joseph, Mich.
The kids were taken out of school by their father, Jason.
“I was told my dad was here to pick me up, and I thought that was kind of weird because my dad had never picked me up,” Julian recalled. “I got to my locker and was getting everything and thought, ‘Something might be wrong with my mom.’ It was just a weird thought, and when we walked out, our dad told us the news.”
The family made it to the hospital and heard the news: Jennifer had severe brain damage and was in a coma. She would remain on life support for months following the accident.
“It was just a bunch of emotions,” Julian said. “When I found out that my mom got into an accident and wasn’t well, it was very emotional, crying, things like that. I didn’t think she was going to be in the damage she was in.”
Jennifer spent nearly five years in a coma. She had stops at multiple hospitals before moving into a room at Healthwin Specialized Care in South Bend.
Jennifer’s mother, Peggy Means, visited her daughter every day. She would sing songs to her, talk to her about what was going on and take her on walks throughout the building in hopes that one day her daughter would come back.
“When it’s your child, you just never give up,” Peggy said. “I just believed she was in there. When you have brain damage, if I had just let her lay there and let her have no stimulation, the brain will die. She had to have stimulation, so I had to fight a lot of nurses and aids to get her up, get her in her chair, talk to her.”
Peggy’s persistence pays off
The constant attention paid by Peggy to her daughter worked.
On August 25, 2022 — four years and 11 months after the accident — Jennifer woke up.
“I was telling her a joke and she started laughing so much that she was crying,” Peggy said. “I thought something was really bad, but then I realized she understood it and she was laughing.”
Peggy started calling all the family members to tell them the news.
“It was crazy,” said Julian of seeing her mom awake. “I walked into the room and said, ‘It’s JuJu,’ and her eyes lit up. To tell her my age and my grade and things like that made her very emotional. She started crying because she missed all those years.”
It would take almost a full year before Jennifer was allowed out of the hospital. Peggy retired in June, and one month later, she was able to bring her daughter home to her house in Dowagiac.
“I never thought she’d actually come home this soon,” Julian said. “It’s very special, and it’s amazing we can go see her anytime. It’s just surreal. She’s so healthy, and to be at the point she’s at is truly a miracle.”
While Jennifer can’t walk, she does have some mobility with her arms and legs. She can comprehend what people are saying, but has a hard time still verbalizing most words. Her vision is also impaired, but work is being done to improve that every day.
Now, Peggy is focused on one thing: getting her daughter into the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids. She believes that if Jennifer could go there, her rehabilitation could be accelerated.
“I want her to be able to walk,” Peggy said. “That’s the goal, to be able to use those arms and legs. I think it’s totally possible. … Mary Free Bed’s is extensive therapy. It’s every day. They have the right equipment, so that’s the goal.”
Julian part of historic season for Niles football
Julian has used the off-the-field emotions of his mother’s recovery fuel his on-the-field performance this year.
The senior is part of one of the best seasons in Niles football history so far, with the Vikings carrying a 9-1 record into Friday’s Division 4, Region 2, District 1 title game against Paw Paw. Niles beat the Red Wolves, 56-18, two weeks ago to win the program’s first conference title since 2001.
More: H.S. football: Indiana Sectional and Michigan District Games of the Week
“I say this all the time: growing up in Niles, it was a rough time on Friday nights. It wasn’t that exciting,” Julian said. “Coming into high school, it started off rough. But having coach (Scot) Shaw come in sophomore year and turn that all around is amazing.”
For the season, Julian has 956 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on just 60 rushing attempts. He’s also added 33 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks on defense while being a team captain for the Vikings.
“It shows the character he has with how he’s handled (Jennifer’s accident) and how he’s focused on other things that are important in his life, yet still keep her in a very special place,” said Shaw of Julian.
Jennifer has made it to three games this year, but won’t be there Friday. Her presence will still be felt inside Julian as he tries to help the Vikings win its first district title in program history.
“She’s the strongest woman I know,” Julian said.
Friday night high school football playoff schedule
INDIANA SECTIONAL FINALS
CLASS 6A
Warsaw (9-1) at Penn (9-1), 7 p.m.
CLASS 5A
Michigan City (6-4) at Valparaiso (8-2), 8 p.m.
Mishawaka (8-2) at Concord (6-4), 7 p.m.
CLASS 4A
New Prairie (9-2) at Culver Academy (5-6), 7:30 p.m.
NorthWood (9-2) at Northridge (9-2), 7 p.m.
CLASS 3A
John Glenn (7-4) at Knox (11-0), 7 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Bremen (6-5) at LaVille (10-1), 7 p.m.
CLASS 1A
North Judson (7-4) at Triton (8-3), 7:30 p.m.
MICHIGAN DISTRICT FINALS
DIVISION 4-REGION 2
Paw Paw (9-1) at Niles (9-1), 7 p.m.
DIVISION 6-REGION 3
Constantine (8-1) vs. Buchanan (7-3)
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Niles football's Julian Means-Flewellen draws inspiration from mother
