Gina Inhelder Pito

Your Help is Needed!

Our daughter Gina Inhelder Pito was in an almost fatal car accident on March 27, 2002. She sustained an incomplete spinal cord injury at T10-11, the middle portion of her spine. Gina is now in a wheelchair as a paraplegic with no use of her legs. After her accident, she spent the next 4 1/2 months in 3 different hospitals followed by a year of outpatient therapy. Since then, she has had 3 pressure sore surgeries, each requiring a 6-week hospital stay and lengthy periods of being bedridden at home to complete the healing process. Gina’s accident was life-changing for all of us!

On May 31, 2015, we were driving behind Gina and her family to a local restaurant after church. We witnessed a car suddenly jet out from a parking lot to beat the oncoming cars. This car struck and rolled their car over three times. Miraculously, no one was seriously hurt! However, Gina’s car with special hand controls was completely totaled.

Now Gina and her 2 ½-year-old daughter Madison are housebound as Matahi, her husband of five years, works hard to provide for his family. On my two days off each week, I help them with errands and take them on family outings such as mommy and me classes. As much as we enjoy our special time together, Gina would like nothing more than to regain her independence. Ever since Gina was a child, she has been a giver by nature and she misses being able to help and be connected to others.

I am writing this letter to request your consideration of a charitable contribution to help Gina and her family with the purchase of a modified vehicle. Though she had car insurance on her SUV at the time of her accident, it was not enough to cover the expense of obtaining an affordable, modified wheelchair accessible van, estimated at $45,000. This presents a challenge that we cannot meet alone.

To help offset this financial burden, a fundraising campaign in Gina’s honor has been established with Help Hope Live, a trusted nonprofit organization that has been providing community-based fundraising guidance to patients and their families for more than 30 years. All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law, are held by Help Hope Live in the Southwest Spinal Cord Injury Fund, and are administered by Help Hope Live for injury-related expenses only.

For credit card contributions, please click the yellow Donate Now button.

Gina’s positive outlook is remarkable especially when you consider what she has gone through. She and Matahi are focused on their many blessings: a loving marriage, living in their own one-bedroom apartment, and raising their beautiful daughter. Now, to be able to give back to all those who have been there for her and her family, and to be an active participant of society would make Gina’s life complete.

Thank you in advance for your kind consideration and your prayers. Each and every donation will make a difference.

Gratefully, her loving mom,
Patti Inhelder
714-932-8723