Wayne Mullen has loved to work all his life, dating back to his youth in Vardaman.
“My first job was with Wayne Johnson pulling tater-slips,” Mullen said. “I was such a hard worker, he shared that with other farmers. I’ve worked for most every farmer in Vardaman.”
He graduated from Vardaman in 1983 and played football at Northwest and then attended Mississippi State before beginning a career in the flooring business.
“I started in Georgia, then went to Texas and all over,” Mullen said.
He would ultimately settle in South Louisiana where he had a lot of family. It was in his third year there he began experiencing shortness of breath.
“I’d have to take off work because I was having trouble catching my breath,” Mullen said. “Missing work was hard for me. I was always scared to go to the doctor, because I was afraid he might tell me I couldn’t go back to work.”
He trudged on until one day on the job, one of his customers insisted he needed to see a doctor.
“I went and got some x-rays done, and the doctor freaked out on me,” Mullen said. “They said I had pneumonia but it was something else, too, and begged me to go to the emergency room.”
“I was scared to death,” he admitted. “I decided if I’m about to croak, I’m going to eat good. So on my way to the hospital, I stopped at my favorite seafood restaurant and had some crawfish and shrimp.”
The hospital visit revealed he had granulomas in multiple organs and he was sent to a pulmonologist.
“He told me I had pulmonary fibrosis. I looked over and (my cousin) Jenny was crying. I didn’t know what it was so I looked it up on the internet, even though she told me not to. It said most live 2-5 years after being diagnosed.”
More doctor visits would follow as well as a new diagnosis, Sarcoidosis – an inflammatory disease that affects multiple organs in the body, but mostly the lungs and lymph glands. It creates abnormal masses or nodules (called granulomas) consisting of inflamed tissues in the organs of the body that alter the normal structure and function of those organs.
“It’s slowly choking me to death,” Mullen said. “I’m down to about 30% oxygen right now. To put it in a nutshell, my lungs are dying and there is no cure for it.”
Given his prognosis, Mullen decided he wanted to move back home.
“Calhoun County has always been a special place to me. Even though I had been gone for so long, all my friends were still here and we kept up with each other,” Mullen said. “I decided if I’m going to die, then I want to be back home in Vardaman.”
He’s been back almost two years now living south of Vardaman on CR 464. Although he’s tied to an oxygen machine, the return has allowed him to see all his friends and enjoy life more fully.
“I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time to be back in Vardaman,” Mullen said. “It’s hard for me to get out, but this is such a great place.”
He and his best friend Shane Langford are together often. Recounting football glory days from years ago are among their favorite past times.
“One of my best memories is scoring two touchdowns to beat Smithville my senior year,” Mullen said.
He recalled Coach Larry Gann sending him in with the play “Casper Drag,” a pass play intended for tight end Anthony Hendrix.
“The defensive back hadn’t been looking at me all night, so I told our quarterback Chris Bradford I was going to run a post, so look up for me,” Mullen said. “I went right by him, and Chris hit me over the top for a touchdown.”
Later in the game he would catch a deflected pass and race with it 83 yards for a touchdown. He also caught the final pass of the game, a screen pass they called the “Mull Special,” for a big first down that salted the win away.
“I’ll never forget that night,” Mullen said. “A lot of my favorite memories are just all of us hanging out in the locker room.”
He’s finding more occasions to hang out with those friends these days despite his ailments.
The most recent tests have identified many more troubles for Mullen. Just last week he had to have stents installed in his heart. He’s also been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, high cholesterol, and the large number of steroids he’s been forced to take over the years have made him diabetic.
“Other than all that I’m fine,” Mullen said with a laugh.
On the positive side, he’s been recommended and approved for a lung transplant.
“New lungs won’t be a cure for me, but it will give me a lot more time,” Mullen said. “I want to live as long as I can. I’d like to have the opportunity to volunteer to help others the way all my friends have helped me.”
A benefit was held in Vardaman last weekend by Mullen’s friends to help with his costs.
“There are so many people that have been great to me,” Mullen said. “Jenny has saved my life. At one point I was ready to quit and just let this (disease) run its course, but my family and friends picked me up.”
“Shane and Debbie Langford, Jeff and Teresa Clements, James Landreth, Candy Huffman, Tania and Damon Nelson, Rick and Lori Browning, Lisa Sutherland, Charles Mahan, Mark Hendrix, Paula and Greg Lovorn, David Keeton, and so many more have gone above and beyond for me,” Mullen said. “I’m very thankful for all my friends, but at the same time, I know there are people out there suffering a lot more than me. I want to get back on my feet and be able to go out and do things for them.”
Mullen’s father Bobby Mullen of Carrollton passed away last year. His mother, Juanita Barfield, lives in Carroll County. He is the middle of three brothers. His older brother is Glen Mullen and his younger brother is Rodney Mullen.
Mullen has a son Logan that is currently in college.
“I’m proud of my son, my family, and thankful for my life,” Mullen said. “So many people are so worried about making money. Your health is the biggest thing. If you’ve got your health, family and friends you should be thankful, you’re rich.”