Steven ‘Blake’ Baldridge, a 28 year old man and lifetime resident of Arkansas, met a series of unfortunate events on March 10, 2010. It was on this date that a tornado touched down in Pearson, AR, which caused the destruction of not only Blake’s home, but the death of a family member and a life changing, permanent injury.
After being rushed to the hospital unconscious and badly injured, he awoke to discover that he suffered a spinal cord injury rendering him paralyzed from the waist down. His life as a pipeliner, avid hunter, fisherman and outdoorsman changed forever at that moment.
His injuries are tragic, but his story is extraordinary. His extensive injuries have overshadowed his heroism. Just before the tornado hit, he had gone to his grandparent’s home near-by to check on them as the storm was approaching. As the tornado suddenly tore through and destroyed his grandparent’s home, he instinctively covered his grandmother, Mrs. Iva Jean Baldridge, with his own body to protect her from the violent debris. Sadly, his grandfather, Mr. J. Ward Baldridge, suffered critical injuries and died; however, his grandmother lived. She lived because of his sacrifice.
Since the injury, Blake has struggled to adjust to his new disability. His life has changed, but one thing remains constant, his heroism and spirit. Losing his home and everything he owned due to lack of insurance has not stopped Blake from moving forward. He has worked tirelessly to over-come his disability and to regain as much function as possible. To this day, he has not wavered from his dream of walking again by overcoming the odds. As is true for many, he has encountered many barriers in his recovery, which transcend physical limitations. His resources are limited and he is unable to independently afford the necessary medical equipment that may allow him to progress.
It is with a heavy heart that I appeal to you for assistance to help us fund his journey and hopeful recovery. To assist with the costs of needed equipment, additional rehabilitation, and other essential needs, a fundraising campaign has been established with HelpHOPELive. HelpHOPELive is a nonprofit organization that has been serving the transplant and catastrophic injury community for nearly 30 years. All contributions are tax-deductible and are administered for injury-related expenses only.
With sincere gratitude,
Kathy Bittle, Blake’s mother
Bryan Baldridge, Blake’s father
