Jastina Velasquez

Hi there! I am a determined 33-year-old woman who has been fighting to regain as much of my independence as possible since my accident six years ago. On July 22, 2019, I was a passenger in a head on collision and was immediately airlifted to UMC Trauma Center in Las Vegas, Nevada where I eventually learned that I broke my neck and had sustained an incomplete spinal cord injury, leaving me paralyzed from the neck down. I then spent the next five weeks fighting to breathe with a collapsed lung and experienced dangerously high fevers. My family and I were told that I would never walk again and would be considered lucky to gain control of my fingers. After I was intubated and extubated twice and still failed to breathe on my own, I agreed to a tracheostomy out of fear that I wouldn’t be able to talk again if I was intubated a third time.

After those five weeks, even though I was still reliant on oxygen, I was then transported to Barrow Neurological Institute where I received extensive physical, occupational, and speech therapy eight hours a day. Eventually, I was able to breathe on my own, which allowed me to start speaking and eating again. After being away from home for three months, I was finally discharged from rehab in October to start my new life in a wheelchair. Since then, I have been learning how to adapt and navigate life with paralysis.

Initially, I was completely dependent on my family for everything. I could not dress or bathe myself, among several other things, and had to be catheterized every three hours. However, with continued physical therapy, tenacity for life, and a little stubbornness, I am grateful and proud to say that I am beating my prognosis and have regained more than 50% of my muscle function and mobility. Having a c5 incomplete spinal cord injury with Brown Sequard Syndrome, I have regained function in my entire right side, but not my left. However, this still has enabled me to learn how to write again, groom and dress myself, and shower on my own. Additionally, I feel extremely fortunate to say that I even regained bowel and bladder function and can stand and walk short distances with a walker!

I have finally reached a point in my recovery where I am ready to take back my independence and try to learn how to drive again. However, I cannot drive a standard vehicle and unfortunately, even used wheelchair vehicles are still beyond my financial capabilities. Therefore, I have chosen to fundraise for Help Hope Live in my honor, Jastina Velasquez, for an accessible vehicle that fits my needs and will enable me to get to my medical appointments and seek out school and job opportunities. Your gift will not only improve my quality of life, but it will help get me closer to achieving what I want more than anything, my independence.

Family and friends of Jastina Velasquez are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with a Catastrophic Injury. Jastina has chosen to fundraise with Help Hope Live in part because donations are tax deductible for contributors and will only be used to cover medical and related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Give button. For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399. Thank you for your support!