Byers The day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Ralph Byers was getting treatments for polio at Riley Hospital for Children. During his recovery, he started building models of the war planes.

One of Byers' favorite models was the Avenger, a fighter bomber used by the Navy to avenge the Japanese. It was a heavily armored plane built to destroy Japanese subs, and it was pretty hard on the Japanese fighter planes as well.

"Their (Japanese planes) only defense was that they were lighter and more maneuverable," said Byers. "But the Avengers shot 90 rounds per minute, and if they got a Japanese in their sights, they would blow it out of the sky."

Byers said Riley hospital was like a beehive the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

"I was just about nine years old. Everyone around was going silly. It was as bad as the day the World Trade Center was attacked," he said.

Recently, Byers had an opportunity to see an Avenger when he worked as a volunteer at the Indianapolis Air Show.

The show was sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. For years, Byers has held investments with the institution, and when he learned that they were sponsoring the air show to benefit Riley Hospital for Children, he jumped at the chance.

Well, he didn't jump really; Byers never made a full recovery from polio. He underwent painful treatments, wore a turn buckle cast which was tightened every day, wore many braces and underwent surgery. But the disease left him with a bend in his back and a hitch in his stride.

Still, the 74-year-old has managed to put three kids through college and still puts in a full day of work at his repair shop.

A three-way certified welder and mechanic with an eighthgrade education, Byers grew up in Cass County. When he was eight, he and another local child were diagnosed with polio and were sent to Riley. Doctors killed the virus in 21 days, and he was able to go home for Christmas. But Byers was to see a lot more of Riley hospital. Much of his hospital. Much of his body was paralyzed for two years, and he lay on a frame, in braces.

He recovered enough to go back to school but wore the braces until 1944. Later, he met Etta Swank of Lucerne, and they wed in 1957. The couple moved to Burrows and raised three daughters, and in 1990, Byers retired from Small Parts in Logansport, where he was the maintenance foreman.

The air show

When Byers arrived at the Indianapolis Air Show, he was looking forward to the day and was ready to work. The volunteer coordinator asked him what he'd like to do.

"Doesn't matter to me," Byers remarked offhandedly.

"So the coordinator gave me a stack of cards and told me to choose one. I took the one off the top and got the job of helping the handicapped park their cars. No kidding!"

After a couple of hours on his feet in a 50-acre field of cars, Byers took a break. What he saw next surprised and thrilled him. An Avenger taxied past him, unfolding its wings.

"It was impressive!" he laughed. "And I had a wonderful day. I had made models of those planes."

Pretty soon it started raining, and when the show was over, the mud in the parking field was ankle-deep.

"It was two hours getting all those cars out of there," he said. "Fifteen got stuck."

But the day was well worth it, Byers said.

"It means a great deal to me. I owe Riley a great debt."

Heart of giving

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Indianapolis Air Show and the fifth year that Thrivent has sponsored it.. The air show has made just shy of $1 million for Riley. This year the air show was again a success and, in addition, the Indiana regional office of Thrivent "personally" gave Riley a $100,000 donation.