Clyde's Special Child: The Story of Debbie May
Many people will remember Clyde May as a moonshiner, and rightfully so. Across a 45 year period, Clyde successfully crafted some of the south's finest moonshine. Every batch he made had his reputation tied to it, so producing anything less than the finest quality was simply unacceptable.
Success in this illegal industry was also important to Clyde because it meant providing a better life for his wife and eight children. Being a father was a role that he took very seriously. It was important for him to instill values that would help make his children successful. He was constantly teaching them life lessons that many of them still carry with them today. But Clyde was not afraid to learn a few things from his children as well, especially when it came to Debbie.
Debbie was the seventh of Clyde's eight children. Debbie held a special place in Clyde's heart because of her condition. She was born with a mild form of down syndrome, and she was also diagnosed with Noonan Syndrome, a condition that can cause mild skeletal malformations.
Debbie was strong willed and was very capable of doing many things by herself. Still, taking care of a special needs child requires patience and loving parents. Clyde and his wife Mary Cynthia fit that bill and then some.
One could say that Clyde's bond with Debbie extended past that of a father-daughter relationship and formed into a genuine friendship. He had a variety of nicknames that he called her by with the most popular choice being "Doll Bray." No one family member is able to give a clear explanation as to where that nickname came from, but it is a nickname that he stuck with. She, in return, always called him "Monster." This nickname was due to the deep voice Clyde developed after receiving treatments for throat cancer in the early 1960's.
Debbie never ceased to surprise or impress Clyde with the things she said or did. Her memory was impeccable and she could immediately recall things that had not been brought up in several years. This was because she was extremely attentive and did not miss anything. In fact, Clyde knew he could call on Debbie's assistance if he needed to remember a name or where he had placed something.
It did not take very long for Clyde to realize that he would likely learn more from Debbie than she would ever learn from him. She opened a new outlook on life by never showing hate towards any one person or thing. Instead, she showed nothing but genuine love towards everything in her life. Taking care of her also taught him patience. Debbie was very inquisitive and always asked plenty of questions, but Clyde never hesitated to answer any and all questions that she had to ask him.
The bond that Clyde had with his daughter continued until his death in 1990. In the days leading up to his death, Clyde made his other seven children promise to never under any circumstance place Debbie in an assisted care facility. He knew that what she needed the most was her family. The May children never broke that promise to their father. In fact, in many ways, Debbie helped keep the May family close because they all bonded together and took turns taking care of her until her death in 2009.
Clyde May certainly should be remembered as a moonshiner, but one could say that his greatest accomplishment in life had nothing to do with whiskey. Instead, it had everything to do with him having a positive impact on those around him. However, Debbie impacted him more than he could have ever impacted her. That is what truly made her special.