When I woke up on October 1st, 1984, I had no idea how my life would change that day. I was a subcontractor building a nuclear power plant at Millstone #3 in Waterford, CT. After work, I sold securities, mutual funds, and life insurance. I was training a new associate and got out of my vehicle to give him directions. Never saw the drunk driver speeding toward me. She hit me on my right side and propelled me 90 feet into the air. I came down on my head. She thought she’d hit a dog. Much later we found out that she was a bartender that had just gotten off work and she was high on drugs and very drunk. I was in a coma for three months.
In 1984, it wasn’t common practice to open the skull to relieve pressure, so I now have a sizable hole in my brain. I had to relearn everything…how to eat, how and why to go to the bathroom, etc. I’m sure you get the picture. My wife left me and took our three year old son with her. She later divorced me. I don’t know what I would have done without my family, or my faith in God. They got me through a lot of tough times over the years.
Currently, I’m 64 years old and 45 surgeries out from that day. My wife and soulmate, Pat, takes me where I need to go. I’m paraplegic, which means I can’t walk and spend most of my waking moments in a wheelchair. We haven’t let my injury stop us from giving back. Over the last 17 years, we’ve fostered over 20 children from the State of Ohio. We’ve adopted three of them.
My Traumatic Brain Injury prevents me from driving a car. I use a manual wheelchair, but the wheelchair is very heavy for her to lift into our car. We really need a mobility van so we can go places together. Independence is my goal and leading a more normal life. With your help, I hope to make a couple of home modifications that we desperately need and could never afford and assistance financially to attend team training for a Canine Companion for Independence. After two years of interviews, medical reviews, and evaluations to make sure I’m an appropriate candidate, I will finally be in the class to receive a service dog. I can’t tell you what a difference this dog will make in my life!
So now, I find myself reaching out to you to help make a difference in my life. Help me achieve independence in my life with your donations. I will be eternally grateful. God bless you with all the desires of your heart.
Gratefully,
Jimm and Pat Alvarez
Family and friends of James Alvarez are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with Catastrophic Injury.
James chose to fundraise for Help Hope Live in part because Help Hope Live assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for contributors. Contributors can be sure donations will be used to pay or reimburse medical and related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Give button. And please consider sharing this link with others so they may donate as well.
For Checks:
Make checks payable to: Help Hope Live
Note in memo section: In honor of James Alvarez
Please send to: Help Hope Live
2 Radnor Corporate Center
100 Matsonford Road
Suite 100, Radnor, PA 19087
For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399.
Thank you for your support.
