From My Front Porch: Ride of a lifetime for teen who wasn't expected to see 16th birthday

“From My Front Porch” is a series that highlights powerful, memorable stories that were experienced only steps away from a person’s front door.

Within the 100 block of Hamilton Avenue in York, a walk during a brisk winter evening is seemingly uninterrupted until you pass one porch — Hunter's porch. 

Hunter Liesenring's laugh resoundingly pierces through the quiet. Though he can't rise from the top step unassisted, walk down and greet you, his zestful giggles are a gravitational pull that reels you in. 

With his mother, Yvette Wertz, by his side, Hunter takes us back to a fond memory; one that he can revisit whenever he wants, without any limitations to his movement. 

Hunter's childhood 

To understand the significance of Hunter's story, though, it's important to know the blueprints of his past, which is tangled with tragedy and triumph. 

At the age of 2, Hunter suffered significant injuries, including a skull fracture and internal bleeding that damaged his brain, after his mother's then-boyfriend beat him for crying in 2002. 

Hunter lives with epilepsy, paralysis of his left hand, and partial paralysis and muscle deterioration in his legs, which requires him to wear braces. 

He gets around mostly by a wheelchair, and he'll never be able to drive a car or ride a bike, but none of that deters his admiration and love for motorcycles. 

An unforgettable birthday  

Mentioning the word "motorcycles" sends Hunter into an uncontrollably exciting frenzy much like the one on his 16th birthday in 2016. 

As you can imagine, birthdays are a bigger milestone for Hunter than most people since doctors didn't see him outliving the extent of his injuries. 

"The bigger birthdays are something to celebrate with him...they didn't think he had that great of a life [expectancy]," Wertz said. 

Through social media, Wertz asked people to send Hunter birthday cards, and he received dozens as the days inched closer to July 11, but she wanted to do more. 

About this series

From My Front Porch is a series that highlights powerful, memorable stories that were experienced only steps away from a persons front door. The porch  an easily overlooked bridge between home life and community  has a place in most everyones day-to-day life. Every so often, the porch is a place where remarkable stories unfold. This series stitches together unique patches of stories to form a communal quilt that represents aspects of York County and the region.

To cater to Hunter's love for motorcycles, his mother reached out to a friend, Tommy Davis, who's a member of a local American Legion. 

She wanted to see if anyone would be interested in giving Hunter his first motorcycle ride and a chance to get up close and personal with the bikes. 

Davis got to work reaching out to local motorcycle clubs in the area, and the same kindness that motivated him to fulfill this favor was massively reciprocated by the community. 

"We help out anybody...We're there to support everybody and make the community come together," Davis said of the American Legion. 

In no time, Larry "LJ" Julius, the President of Shiloh American Legion at the time, heard about Hunter's story and even watched a previous documentary video about Hunter's past. LJ immediately wanted to be a part of making Hunter's birthday special. 

What started as a few bikes making their way to Hunter's house on that beautifully sunny July day turned out to be between 150 to 200 motorcycles. 

"I can still see him on the porch jumping up and down in his chair," Julius said. 

One of the motorcycles was equipped with a side car, so Hunter could get in and enjoy the ride. 

With a helmet and sunglasses, Hunter joined the huge caravan that overtook a portion of Route 30 with an escort from York City Police.

The festivities included more than just a ride. Back at Hunter's neighborhood, everyone gathered at the church adjacent to his backyard. He was given cards and even money, which his mom said helped get them parts for his chair that weren't covered by insurance. 

The riders also gave Hunter a very special motorcycle vest with an honorary road captain patch.

"We didn't do it for us...we did it because there was a local kid that really could use a hell of a birthday present," Julius said.

Although Julius is with a new motorcycle club these days, he still rounded up bikes to drive pass Hunter's house for his 18th birthday this past July. 

What lies ahead  

Hunter attends a life skills class at Dover Area High School, and he will be able to attend there until he's 20. He and his classmates run a small coffee shop at school, and even made enough profits to take a field trip to New York City. 

His mother hopes to one day watch Hunter walk across the stage with his stepsister since they'll graduate the same year.  

"Right now, he's pretty much at a standstill as far as health goes," his mom said.

Wertz explained that the main concern is Hunter's legs. The muscles in them are weakening and are too elasticized to operate on. In the future, he may lose the ability to use his legs. 

Despite the abuse Hunter experienced as a kid, he is extremely friendly, trusting and loves to meet new people. He's a part of a nonprofit created in his honor and joins his mom for fundraisers, which they donate back to the community. 

The foundation will benefit from a bingo night in April, which is also National Child Abuse Awareness Month. 

Unfading memory 

The outpouring of love and sense of community for Hunter's 16th birthday turned his front porch into a keepsake. 

It's the place where it didn't matter that he couldn't do what other teenagers his age were doing like getting a driver's license.

Hunter took the ride of a lifetime and he's got the laugh to prove it.