An unlikely bond: Local guard forms friendship with her new ‘biggest fan’

South Lafourche junior guard Makayla Bynum poked the ball away from a John Ehret guard last Tuesday night and was off to the races.

There was nothing to stop her from getting to the rim — except the hardwood floor and one defender trailing the play at the rim.

That’s just the way she likes it.

She made two dribbles past half court, then a couple more inside the 3-point line.

The defender backpedaled into the paint.

Bynum pushed forward, too. She bluffed a move to the left, but it was a deke — a perfectly executed Euro step that shook the Lady Patriot out of her shoes. After the footwork, Bynum swooped to the right and got to the rim, laying the ball softly off the glass for a score.

The gym went nuts. The Cajun Crazies student section applauded.

And on the bottom rung of bleachers just to the left of mid-court, there was a smile and nod of approval, too, from Mr. Raleigh Eymard and his wife Wanda.

The person they paid to see had just did something awesome — again — like she always does when the Lady Tarpons take the floor. To the Eymard’s, there are few things in life better than that.

Over the years, the Eymard family has bonded with the Bynum’s — an unlikely story that both families believe is the work of God.

Bynum befriended the elderly man when both were undergoing rehab/therapy on an injury (more about that later). At first, Bynum called him her friend. But after years of having to explain the relationship to friends and teammates, Bynum now has come up with a simpler answer.

“Now, I just say — yup, that’s my grandpa,” she said. “That’s good enough for me.

“As a kid, a hated basketball,” Raleigh said with a laugh, about an hour before that same John Ehret game. “I played baseball. But with her, now, I love it. I love to watch her play. She always wants to go get that ball. I could watch her play all day long. Any game that we can make it, we will be there.”

DUO SHARES STORY OF ADVERSITY

Bynum has been a basketball standout her entire life — dating back to Biddy Basketball days.

She enrolled at South Lafourche High School as a ninth grader two years ago and was immediately part of the team’s plans. She was a top reserve as a freshman and helped lead the team on a playoff run. She’s since developed into a starter and is one of the top guards in the district as a junior.

But adversity struck for Bynum in the summer of that offseason after her freshman year. She sustained an injury that required an extensive, 3-4-month rehabilitation process.

That’s when fate brought the two families together.

Bynum had no way of knowing this at the time, but her struggles were aligning with a tough time for the Eymard family, as well.

Mr. Raleigh is a Veteran of the United States Army. He is a retired shipyard worker, as well.

Mr. Raleigh turned 80 recently and had enjoyed good health for a lot of his life.

But he suffered a severe kidney infection that went to his blood and threatened his life.

Doctors tried a treatment that Raleigh said was “life or death.”

He lived, but in the process, the cells on his hands and legs blackened and were destroyed. Doctors had to remove all four limbs to avoid an infection in the limbs that could have poisoned his blood and killed him.

At the time that Bynum was rehabbing her injury, Mr. Raleigh was at the same offices, getting back the range of motion in his legs so that he could learn to walk with his prosthetics.

ICE CREAM AN ICE BREAKER

For everything that Mr. Raleigh has had to deal with in the past two years, nothing has ever broken his spirit.

He loves to joke and make others smile.

“I am a fellow who jokes and kids around. I am very friendly,” Mr. Raleigh said. “I like to have fun with people.”

Bynum said she saw that fun-loving personality and it’s what put her at ease around Mr. Raleigh when both were doing their therapy.

“He’d always talk to me and make jokes,” Bynum said. “He always would encourage me to do the best that I could, but would try and keep things funny and keep the people around us laughing the whole time.”

Both Bynum and Mr. Raleigh mention a story about pineapple ice cream — a favorite of Mr. Raleigh.

He mentioned to Bynum during a therapy session that he had an affinity for the sweet treat and the next day, she brought some to him and fed it to him.

“She’s such a nice person — the whole family,” Mr. Raleigh said.

As both got better, Bynum invited the Eymard family to athletic events — an invitation that he and his wife Wanda accepted.

Mr. Raleigh said it started as a one-game invite, but the couple got hooked. Today, they’re regulars. They go to as many of Bynum’s basketball and softball games as they can — both home and away.

“If it’s not too far, we go,” Mr. Raleigh said. 

“They’re almost always the first ones here,” Bynum said with a laugh. “They like to get their spot. They sit in the same place. I always see them come in and it fires me up to know they’re here to watch me play.”

The elderly man said he’d do anything to show support to the entire Bynum family, including Makayla’s father, Scott, mother, Connie and younger sister, Hannah. On the day of the interview, it was Connie’s birthday. The Eymard’s sent roses to her work to commemorate the day.

“They’re just really sweet people,” Makayla said. “They’re genuine and show so much love.”

When asked if he expected to develop a friendship through his rehab, Mr. Raleigh smiles first, then starts to laugh.

“No,” he said with a laugh. “Absolutely not. We had no idea this would happen.”

POSITIVITY MOTIVATES FUTURE SUCCESSES

Today both Bynum and Mr. Raleigh’s therapy efforts have proven successful.

Bynum is back on the playing floor and Mr. Raleigh can use the prosthetic legs to walk with the aid of a walker.

He smiles with pride, while watching Bynum play. Before games, he talks to the fans in the stands.

When asked how he’s able to keep such a spirited personality throughout the tough times, Mr. Raleigh starts to cry.

He said it’s all because of his love for Jesus Christ.

“I have the love of Jesus in my life,” he said, while pushing back tears. “I praise God. I believe strongly in God. I have the love of the Lord in my heart.”

Bynum said that positive energy is motivating to her — something that provides fuel for her career.

This season, Bynum has emerged from a reserve role and into a leadership position for the Lady Tarpons.

At press-time, South Lafourche is 8-2 and Bynum is one of the biggest reasons why. She leads the team in both scoring and assists and is among the best playmakers in the area, despite standing just north of 5-feet tall.

“This year has been about stepping up and being more of a leader,” Bynum said. “I think if we keep playing hard, we can accomplish our goals and get where we want to go.”

Mr. Raleigh said no matter where the journey takes the Lady Tarpons, he will be there to see his favorite player play — so long as God is willing.

He said he loves Bynum’s intensity and determination — two things that he said will carry her a long way in both athletics and life.

Bynum said she looks at Mr. Raleigh and sees that when times are tough, the path forward is always to keep smiling and working hard.

If he can do it, she can, too.

“He’s a huge inspiration to me,” Bynum said. “He’s showed me that no matter what happens, you can overcome it. He’s overcome so much and he stays positive through it all.”

Mac BynumCASEY GISCLAIR | THE TIMES

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