Andrew Hale's Story

Welcome to the world of Andrew Hale....as told by his mother....

It has been a journey that brings out the strength of a family.

Andrew has struggled with two life threatening injuries. His first accident 10/19/1997, he was rollerblading with a friend in our neighborhood, when he collided with a truck. He suffered a broken neck, massive internal injures, fractured skull and hematoma on his brain. He now has a plate in his forehead. After months in the hospital and multiple surgeries, he spent months in PT and OT, and being tutored at home, he was able to join his baseball team that spring, with protective gear. Then began years of infections and surgeries on his left foot from nerve damage caused from TBI( tramatic brain injury).

Eventually in 2013 the decision was made to amputate left leg below the knee. After a short recovery, he started skateboarding, then snowboarding . This lead him to move to Colorado and join an adaptive snowboarding team.

He was training for 2018 Paralympics. He also had the chance to compete at X games, which was a dream of his.

Then came January 5, 2016, during a training session, a teammate crossed into Andrew's path , Andrew tried to avoid hitting him and it sent him into stack of trees. Even with full protection gear (helmet, back protection) he ended up breaking his back and crushing his spinal cord, another TBI, and collapsed lungs. After a month in a coma, he was transported to Craig Hospital (specializes in Tramtic brain injury and Spinal cord injury). Now he is paralyzed from the waist down.

Four months at Craig Hospital, then he moved to Florida with his family. Sheckler Foundation donated a van to us to drive to Florida and be able to get Andrew around. It has got us through 8 years.

Andrew moved in with me and his sister(who is intellectually challenged). I had to leave my job and become a full time caregiver. It was a struggle but as a family we made it work. After a couple of years of homecare, it was time to transistion to outpatient therapy. We found a clinic close by that works with disabilities of all kinds. Andrew goes to Me & U Abilities Academy three times a week for OT/PT. This therapy has not only helped his body get stronger, but it helps his brain heal also. He is able to have more core control to help with him transfering from his wheelchair. There is also many doctor appointments to get to. Andrew deals with many UTIs and bladderstones(because of catheter), he had a stroke in January this year, and deals with liver issues.

Why I am sharing all this is because our van, that we have had for 8 years is rusting away and the side doors are falling off the track. I am worried that one of these times I wont be able to get him out. Our van is very important to us, not only for his therapy and doctor appointments, but for him to get out to enjoy life. He loves to go wheel around at the parks, he loves to fish, and sometimes just take a nice cruise along the coast.

Because we are on a fixed income, we can not afford to buy a van on our own. We would appreciate any help that you can give.

Thank You for taking the time to read Andrew's story...........