Pieter's Medical Fund
This is our son, Pieter Kok, soaking up some much needed sunshine!
7 years ago on a cold January morning, our lives were changed forever. Pieter was on his way to work when he was involved in a terrible car accident. After working nearly 45 mins with the jaws of life, rescue workers were able to extract him from his vehicle. He was hovering between life and death with multiple fractures, collapsed lungs, internal injuries and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Prayers from drivers in stalled traffic, began immediately and mushroomed across the world as the day wore on and word got out. My husband and I, along with many family and friends took up residency at the nearby trauma center, praying ferfently while lending comfort to one another and trying to digest the horrible news. Surgeries and countless procedures later Pieter began to stabilize but remained in a coma. 
January, 2008
It was weeks before he began to open his eyes, but even then they seemed vacant. But our AMAZING GOD was, and is, continually at work, and little by little we have seen more and more of the Pieter we knew and loved begin emerge. Within months he was following the pages in a book, blinking when he was ready for the page to be turned, squeezing our hand for Yes" and "No" answers, and reaching, ever so slowly with his right hand to take one of ours! He was even taking 'pleasure feeds' (by mouth), yet it was his GOD given smile, that came out at all the right times, that really let you know that our Pieter was still with us! 
Pieter laughing at his sister, Kimberly! (2013)
Fast forward through the next few years, more surgeries, treatments, major setbacks and baby steps forward...
Now Pieter is working to communicate via a computerized program operated with eye blinks! Just after Christmas, he followed a path of icons until he got to an option his Speech Therapists had programmed for him (unbeknowst to me), saying "I love you, Mom!" And he followed that trail, TWICE! All on his own! It was the first time I'd heard it in 7 years!!!! (I still get choked up thinking about it!)
Not the clearest picture, but his excitement over his new computer is very obvious! (2014)
We have been so blessed in his new nursing "home", to have many staff so eager to help Pieter in every way possible. It has opened up new opportunities for Pieter and is allowing GOD to move in even greater ways! Finding enough therapy over the years for Pieter's needs has been extremely frustrating, but now doors are opening in areas we only dreamed of before and others we never even imagined! It's crazy exciting and a challenge to keep up with, but he's in desperate
need of ALL it!
He even has his own personal therapy dog that comes to visit with his owners once a week! Here's a pic of their first meeting!
I think it was love at first sight! (April 2015)
Having all these therapies available is so exciting, but also costly, ranging from $300 - $500 per week. In other words $1200 - $2000 per month. Right now he's receiving Occupational Therapy, massage therapy, aroma therapy and some Physical Therapy. Having the extra $200/wk for therapy would allow us the chance to increase the PT to a truly beneficial level as well as add more intense speech therapy. The love and light these dedicated caregivers bring to Pieter, is PRICELESS!
Thanks to a forward thinking therapy department, arrangements were made recently and Pieter was fitted for a custom wheelchair! It will be sub- stantially more comfortable for him and his 6' 5" frame as well as addressing some critical posture issues that the 'one size fits all' wheelchairs do not. This new wheelchair is extremely lightweight, manuverable and positionable, making it easier on all of us involved in his caregiving! Cost, $7855! (Having the funds to pay for it at time of delivery will save us close to $950!)
Here's what his new set of wheels will look like!
On top of this, there is a huge need for a van to transport Pieter! Because of his height and issues with body extension he does not fit into regular sized vans or converted handicapped vans. We'd like to be able to take him on outings and to specialists such as the Low Vision Dr, that's 2 hours away in OKC. His current therapist and caregivers have also volunteered to take him to church and to the nearby Nature Reserve, etc., but cannot since theright sized van is not available! In the past we've been able to utilize the ambulance service for transportation but to do so now would cost over two thousand dollars for one trip to OKC.
After a lot of searching and questioning, we recently found a Ford transport van with a wheelchair/ handicap conversion package that would fit Pieter and all our needs like a dream! It would have a rear entry making it a breeze to get him in and out and tall windows allowing him to see a panoramic view (not just pavement), It also gives me, his mom, the ability to stand up in the back and gives all of us plenty of room to care for him during a lengthy outing. In addition there are positional jump seats in the back allowing us to sit by him during travels and have extra seating for additional passengers! But here's the kicker:
Cost with conversion, approx $45-50,000! 
What a dream it would be to finally have the freedom to take Pieter wherever we wanted or needed!
So there you have it, Pieter's needs in a nut shell. If we can raise the $75,000 goal, that would provide the van, the wheelchair and about a year's worth of intensive therapy allowing Pieter to gain substantial ground physically, mentally, socially, spiritually, etc. You could be part of this unfolding miracle, which is like watching a butterfly emerge! We are so greatful to GOD for everyday we have with him, and it saddens us to know many parents haven't been nearly so blessed.
WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO PRESS ON?
*BECAUSE, in whatever state we find ourselves in, God loves each of us;
*BECAUSE, God has given us the faith to believe there is a purpose to all of this;
* BECAUSE, like God our heavenly Father, we as parents want the absolute best for our children;
*and, BECAUSE, God's purpose is still very much alive in Pieter!
Whatever you feel led to do is so greatly appreciated! Whether it's prayer, and idea, a word of encouragement, or perhaps a financial gift, we say Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, from the very depths of our grateful hearts. We also pray that GOD would richly bless you, in return, with His loving Presence, an abundance of His amazing grace and much, much more!
In Christ alone we stand!
Pieter's Family
March 29th, 2015 Most of the Kok family!
Front Row, L to R: Grandpa & Grandma Ridley, Pieter, Cindy (mom) & Becky holding son, William John Pieter Kok.
2nd Row: Joe holding son Klayton, Aaron, Kloe (Joe's daughter, Will (dad), Carrie (extra daughter), Kimberly, Maddie with daddy William.
(Missing 3 brothers: Matthew, Isaac & Andy and sister-in-law, Kendra)