Buck$ for Brad
Donation protected
Life can change in the blink of an eye. This might sound a bit cliché, but eyes became very important a couple months ago as Brad’s eyes showed us all the life and fight he had even though he was unable to move or speak.
Brad Montee from Hermiston, Oregon had a horrible work accident on Saturday, June 27, 2015 that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. He fell from a farm irrigation sprinkler he was working on, resulting in a broken neck and a back broken in two places. The end of June was one of the hottest on record, but on a busy ranch, work goes on despite the stifling temperatures. After his fall, Brad lay on the ground in more than 100 degree heat for nearly 3 hours before he was found. Due to the severity of his injuries, he was flown to Portland, Oregon where he would spend the next 4 weeks in critical ICU care. It was during this time in the ICU that Brad’s eyes were a constant reminder this while his body was changed by this horribly unexpected accident, this spirited cowboy was fighting with everything he had!
In hindsight, Brad’s amazing strength started the moment he fell. Lying in the heat with life threatening injuries, it is amazing that he made it to the hospital. But he did make it, and continued his battle through infections like pneumonia, while dedicated hospital staff helped him through each day. Fortunately, Brad has had the complete support and dedication of his wife, Marianne, and his loving family. Nothing made his eyes sparkle as brightly as the visits from the two granddaughters Brad and Marianne are raising in the midst of Brad’s recovery. Life for this family will never be the same, but their strength and their love is getting them through this one step at a time.
At first, Brad could barely even whisper over all the tubes and devices keeping him alive. A tracheotomy, which is basically a hole in the throat, was necessary to help him breath with a ventilator. Brad “ate” through a feeding tube, and needed assistance with every possible basic task. Brad made remarkable improvements, but this is a long-term recovery process and improvements come little by little. In late summer, Brad was able to move from ICU to the step down trauma unit, and wean himself off the ventilator while waiting to move to full time rehabilitation. He is currently a patient at the Rehabilitation Institute of Oregon (RIO), and working at physical therapy with a tenaciousness that is not surprising to anyone who knows this hard working cowboy.
At RIO, Brad is completing several months of physical therapy to help him learn to live with his paralysis. While he no longer has the use of his fingers, Brad is working to use his shoulders to move his arms and be able to control a special electric wheelchair. He is working on regaining the ability to eat regular food and building his breathing strength. He is looking forward to removing his neck brace and hopefully the large “humpty dumpty” chest brace that he wears to be lifted out of the bed.
Despite his family’s support and love, the need is enormous! Brad and Marianne are not the type to ask for a hand out, but they recognize they might be in need of a hand up. Since Brad is no longer employed by the ranch and needs a wheelchair accessible home, he and his family have to find a new place to live. Marianne, a house cleaner, has been by Brad’s side and unable to work since the accident. There is some state assistance for Brad but it is a slow moving process. There is also support from his family, but many big and small things are needed to help Brad transition to a new normal.
In this fundraising effort we (Brad’s cousins) are trying to raise $47,500, enough to:
Purchase a reliable used ADA vehicle - $40,000
Ensure Brad has an electric wheelchair equipped for this type of paralysis - $3,500
Install a Hoyer lift (special hoist to help transfer Brad out of bed) - $2,000
Adjustable bed once he is able to transition from a hospital bed - $2,000
So what’s it going to take? Brad and Marianne are lifelong fixtures at the world famous Pendleton Round Up. Brad could be seen volunteering behind the iconic wooden chutes and hopefully will again someday! Every year over 50,000 people descend upon Pendleton, Oregon for the annual rodeo. If every Round Up attendee gave just $1 each, together we could surpass the goal.
In 1910, the first year of the Round Up, Pendleton welcomed a massive crowd of 7,000 strong. If a crowd of 7,000 people were to contribute $10 each, we would eclipse the goal.
Any amount contributed will help mitigate the huge financial obstacles ahead so Brad and Marianne can focus on healing, and getting back home to the community of Hermiston, and Pendleton Oregon. In the spirit of Round Up and “Let ‘Er Buck” please consider contributing Bucks for Brad.
Brad Montee from Hermiston, Oregon had a horrible work accident on Saturday, June 27, 2015 that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. He fell from a farm irrigation sprinkler he was working on, resulting in a broken neck and a back broken in two places. The end of June was one of the hottest on record, but on a busy ranch, work goes on despite the stifling temperatures. After his fall, Brad lay on the ground in more than 100 degree heat for nearly 3 hours before he was found. Due to the severity of his injuries, he was flown to Portland, Oregon where he would spend the next 4 weeks in critical ICU care. It was during this time in the ICU that Brad’s eyes were a constant reminder this while his body was changed by this horribly unexpected accident, this spirited cowboy was fighting with everything he had!
In hindsight, Brad’s amazing strength started the moment he fell. Lying in the heat with life threatening injuries, it is amazing that he made it to the hospital. But he did make it, and continued his battle through infections like pneumonia, while dedicated hospital staff helped him through each day. Fortunately, Brad has had the complete support and dedication of his wife, Marianne, and his loving family. Nothing made his eyes sparkle as brightly as the visits from the two granddaughters Brad and Marianne are raising in the midst of Brad’s recovery. Life for this family will never be the same, but their strength and their love is getting them through this one step at a time.
At first, Brad could barely even whisper over all the tubes and devices keeping him alive. A tracheotomy, which is basically a hole in the throat, was necessary to help him breath with a ventilator. Brad “ate” through a feeding tube, and needed assistance with every possible basic task. Brad made remarkable improvements, but this is a long-term recovery process and improvements come little by little. In late summer, Brad was able to move from ICU to the step down trauma unit, and wean himself off the ventilator while waiting to move to full time rehabilitation. He is currently a patient at the Rehabilitation Institute of Oregon (RIO), and working at physical therapy with a tenaciousness that is not surprising to anyone who knows this hard working cowboy.
At RIO, Brad is completing several months of physical therapy to help him learn to live with his paralysis. While he no longer has the use of his fingers, Brad is working to use his shoulders to move his arms and be able to control a special electric wheelchair. He is working on regaining the ability to eat regular food and building his breathing strength. He is looking forward to removing his neck brace and hopefully the large “humpty dumpty” chest brace that he wears to be lifted out of the bed.
Despite his family’s support and love, the need is enormous! Brad and Marianne are not the type to ask for a hand out, but they recognize they might be in need of a hand up. Since Brad is no longer employed by the ranch and needs a wheelchair accessible home, he and his family have to find a new place to live. Marianne, a house cleaner, has been by Brad’s side and unable to work since the accident. There is some state assistance for Brad but it is a slow moving process. There is also support from his family, but many big and small things are needed to help Brad transition to a new normal.
In this fundraising effort we (Brad’s cousins) are trying to raise $47,500, enough to:
Purchase a reliable used ADA vehicle - $40,000
Ensure Brad has an electric wheelchair equipped for this type of paralysis - $3,500
Install a Hoyer lift (special hoist to help transfer Brad out of bed) - $2,000
Adjustable bed once he is able to transition from a hospital bed - $2,000
So what’s it going to take? Brad and Marianne are lifelong fixtures at the world famous Pendleton Round Up. Brad could be seen volunteering behind the iconic wooden chutes and hopefully will again someday! Every year over 50,000 people descend upon Pendleton, Oregon for the annual rodeo. If every Round Up attendee gave just $1 each, together we could surpass the goal.
In 1910, the first year of the Round Up, Pendleton welcomed a massive crowd of 7,000 strong. If a crowd of 7,000 people were to contribute $10 each, we would eclipse the goal.
Any amount contributed will help mitigate the huge financial obstacles ahead so Brad and Marianne can focus on healing, and getting back home to the community of Hermiston, and Pendleton Oregon. In the spirit of Round Up and “Let ‘Er Buck” please consider contributing Bucks for Brad.
Organizer and beneficiary
Chris Drake
Organizer
Spokane, WA
Marianne Montee
Beneficiary