Adam Pepiton, a graduate of Cesar Chavez High School, was living a full life as a college student studying Criminal Justice, working for Kmart and spending time with family and friends. Then on September 5th, 2010 his life changed forever.
When leaving a friend’s house after a BBQ, he was the victim of a drive-by shooting in which he was shot in the head. The bullet entered on the left side and lodged in the skull on the right side. This type of injury has less than a 1% survival rate, so Adam surviving was a true miracle. After 5 weeks in ICU and Acute Care, Adam spent 8 weeks at an Acute Rehabilitation facility. On December 2, 2010 he was discharged. While his return home was a significant milestone in Adam’s recover we recognize that there is still a long road ahead and that he faces a tremendous financial burden. Adam is diagnosed as a quadriplegic due to the brain injury This means he has feeling throughout is body but can’t control his legs, is weak in his trunk and has limited usage of left hand. Adam has goal of living an independent life and part of that is driving. He has taken a classes at a community college and trying to figure out what he wants to do to earn a living and contribute to others. In the mean time, he has volunteered with the Red Cross, done numerous public speaking engagements including for the Phoenix Police department educating new officers on cognitive and mobility issues of the TBI community. He is a board member for the Phoenix Police Department Cross Disability Advisory Board and very active in the brain injury and spinal cord injury communities.
Updates (3)
September 23, 2022
September 2022
Adam has completed his initial driving training and has been excepted by the state Independant Living department for them to pay for the very expensive equipment he requires to actually drive. Now he is responsible for the approximately $70,000 for a new accessible van for that equipment to be installed in. Looking for any an all help that you can assist with.
Between midnight on Tuesday, November 29, and 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday, November 30, Help Hope Live will cover the credit card fee for all donations made in honor of any Help Hope Live client at helphopelive.org.
October 25, 2015
Adam has been attending Phoenix Community College and South Mountain Community College. He has been working so hard on his grades. He's passed all his classes with either an A or B.
He continues to volunteer for Red Cross in their Volunteer Department where he makes sure the Volunteer processes are completed and then transfers them to the correct department once they are ready for volunteering.
He as a personal goal right now of losing enough weight to qualify to do therapy in the exoskelton suit. He's lost about 30 pounds and has about 10 more to go.
