Words by Anna Lee Vaughn | Images by Justin Hunter
David and Karen Wesley met during optometry school in Memphis, Tennessee. The two came from very different backgrounds – Karen grew up in the Sonoran Desert of Tuscon, Arizona, and David was a military brat who eventually settled in Birmingham, Alabama. The pair met when David was assigned to mentor Karen and her roommate.
“Despite Karen thinking I was after her roommate, I was always after her. So, we started dating during Karen’s second year,” David recalls. “We thought it would be a great idea that the day after I graduated and she finished with finals, we would get married since all our family members would be there.”
The Wesleys moved to Arizona, where Karen completed an externship under a local optometrist, and David found a job working under an ophthalmologist at the University of Arizona. However, missing the milder weather of home, David convinced Karen to move to Alabama. They practiced in Eufala for a year and eventually found themselves in Jasper.
David and Karen had two goals: paying off student loans and owning a private practice. It took years of working, saving, and cycling through several small clinics before the Wesleys arrived at what is now Wesley Eye Center, located in its 6,000-square-foot building at 302 Oakhill Road in Jasper. In almost 30 years of practicing, the couple has had nearly 60,000 patient encounters.
“The nice thing about moving into Walker County was that everybody was so welcoming, and we felt at home. We have developed a huge sense of service to our community. I think that fulfills us in life. When you serve other people, it helps you get through the tough times because it comes back to you,” says David.
In facing life’s challenges, the resilient spirit fostered by the Wesleys’ community became an invaluable source of strength.
One morning in October 2022, David discovered a lump on his neck. Even with no symptoms, his gut told him something was wrong. After a visit to his primary care provider, David went through multiple tests and a biopsy to confirm his diagnosis of Oral Pharyngeal Cancer.
Radiation, treatments, and three throat surgeries soon took away David’s strength, workdays, and ability to eat or talk. So, he spent his time snacking on popsicles or ice cream and doing DIY projects around their 12-acre farm in Boldo. The farm served as a way for Karen to feel connected to her upbringing and as a therapeutic release for David during his recovery from surgery.
At the end of March 2023, David finished his last treatment and checked off a bucket list item by traveling with Karen to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. These experiences opened David’s eyes to the vapor of life, the importance of family, and the necessity of seizing the moment.
“I used to think things could wait. I do my very best to take care of them right away – with your family, finances, business, or spirit – you shouldn’t wait because you don’t know how things will go. In your life, if you ever are faced with cancer, make sure that you find the best doctors, and have the courage to reach out to your friends and build a support network so that you can get through the days. Most importantly, never give up.”
David credits Karen as a ‘real trooper,’ and the rock that held the Wesleys’ clinic, family, and life together. Karen shares her thoughts and experiences. “Our patients were fabulous because they had heard through the grapevine. As you know, in a small town, everything gets around. So, they were all very kind and understanding, and our employees were fantastic.”
Celebrating his recent cancer-free report, David reflects on the past 30 years of making Jasper his home.
“When I got into this, I thought I was getting into a business of glasses and contact lenses. But 30 years in, I realized that I’ve gotten into the business of people. It’s about the people and relationships you make, the things you give back. Because even with my cancer, people were so good, and we want to give back all we can.” WL
