Pam's First Steps to Recovery

Pamela K. Portillo, can be described as many things: fun, witty, kind, loving; these words barely begin to scratch the surface. Among the many things she is, the biggest one is a single mother to her 5 children, she is a sibling to 8, and a grandmother to 1, with seemingly endless extended family on both her mother and father's side. Her love for cooking and children are reflected in her work as the head cook at the South Central Calhoun High School. She is also a familiar face at The Wright Place as a bartender on the weekends. She enjoys golfing with friends, bowling, and can give anyone a run for their money in a game of pool. Pam is the kind of person that can rise above any occasion and is well beyond her years in the hardships she has faced. Any one who knows Pam well can tell you that she is a fighter, and has spent her entire life fighting for herself, her kids, and her happiness.

Being the busy person she is between family, work, and friends, getting a vacation has been a rarity. In July, her and her boyfriend, Chris, began planning a fun trip to Missouri. She spent weeks planning, packing, and attempting to find the right size and style of helmet for the ride down. She was extactic about getting some well deserved time away to enjoy herself. 

On August 1st, around 3:00pm, Pam, Chris, and friends were out on Stockton Lake enjoying a pontoon ride. Pam wanted to dip her toes in the water as they cruised along and the driver advised to have her stick her legs through the gate. As she went to get up she put her weight on the gate and it gave under her weight. She fell in and was hit in her leg and foot by the boat propellers. She was flown to Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri and was  treated for extensive damage. After surgery we were informed she broke 3 bones in her lower leg and 2 in her foot, and after a second surgery, and much deliberation the surgeon came to the consensus that an amputation below the knee will be necessary as there is no chance in repairing the nerves and muscles. The surgeon did; however, say that he wanted to whip out all the tricks he could think of to save her foot and she is expected to under go 2 more surgeries as of today.

Pam has a long road to recovery ahead of her, but the family wants to extend their appreciation to all for the prayers and support from friends, citizens of Lake City, and anyone who has expressed their support to the family.
The family would like to use the money donated for:
hospital expenses
family expenses
rehabilitation/in home care
possible construction to her home
any other expenses that will come for her recovery
and of course the best prosthetic that we can find

Pam, her children, her parents, siblings, and extended family cannot begin to express how thankful any support will be to them.