In March 2006, Keith Concar seized the opportunity to travel with a group from his Ohio based church, to Louisiana, to volunteer in the efforts to rebuild after hurricane Katrina. After spending only a week with the people who had been so devastated by the destruction, he make a decision to quit his job, move to Louisiana, and spend the next six months helping them put the pieces of their lives back together. A local church loaned him a mobile trailer, which he would share with another volunteer, calling it home for the next few months. While in route to a job site on July 29th 2006, a vehicle pulled in front of Keith causing him to wreck his motorcycle. As a volunteer and self-employed contractor, Keith did not have health insurance. Keith suffered a broken back and severe spinal cord damage which left him paralyzed from the waist down.
“Spinal cord injuries destroy lives.
They leave individuals physically damaged and without hope. Eventually, many find themselves emotionally ruined, with broken minds and shattered spirits. In a split second, this traumatic injury forever changes the course of a normal life, instantaneously sweeping away dreams and futures. It happens at the hands of a drunk driver, in the midst of a gang shooting, in a freak accident at work, or while taking part in sports. And it can happen to anybody, without regard for race, gender, age or economic status. In the seconds prior to a spinal cord injury, these people could walk, feed themselves, go to the bathroom, control their body temperature and feel pleasure. Suddenly, the most basic functions are gone. Now they can’t eat on their own and must depend on someone else to help them go to the bathroom. The dynamics of normal living are gone without any hope of ever regaining them. No one is ever prepared for the road ahead.”
The journey to recovery has been a long, slow and painful process. Over the last year and a half, Keith has made tremendous progress. However, he is still unable to walk and must rely on the help of others and the use of a wheelchair. Keith has undergone months of standard rehabilitation therapy, covered by Medicaid, which has tried to teach him how to live independently with his handicap.
Keith has always possessed a determined personality and therefore knew that there must be “something” more than just learning to live as a paraplegic. He started researching spinal cord centers and other recovery facilities that focused in teaching injured individuals to learn to walk again... That is when he found Project Walk!
“Through the dedication of the staff and the support of donors, Project Walk helps give people with spinal cord injuries the independence, hope, and dreams that were lost as a result of this devastating reality. Every day the clients continue to prove that a spinal cord injury does not always mean life in a wheelchair and that recovery is possible.”
Keith has been accepted by the facility as an ideal candidate for recovery through Project Walk. However, Project Walk is not covered by Medicaid and without medical insurance; the unlikelihood of being able to afford to enter into the program is discouraging.
So his family and friends are asking you to PLEASE HELP KEITH WALK!
A little donation from a lot of people will get Keith to Project Walk!
If just 1000 people commit to a small donation, we can send Keith to Project walk for ONE YEAR and help him regain his life!!!!!
DONATE NOW at www.keithconcarprojectwalk.org
