Light up a Life; polish the glow on your own.
Save the Starship!
This is to supplement the info in the Call for Help that Nadette posted for us in the May 15th newsletter.
It's about my friend, Michael Schwass, a really cool man. He's a quadraplegic:
yeah, all four limbs.
If you don't need the whole story to open your heart, here's the Donate
Now link. I'm hoping for LOTS of money, though, so read on, please.
I want to
begin this post with an excerpt from Laura's
post of April 26th:
I have come to appreciate something that we don't always acknowledge:
It's easier to raise money for children who so easily capture our hearts and the newly injured when life is much more dramatic and emotions are high for everyone. But, truly, after 33 years, people kind of forget that the needs of the disabled never ever diminish, but, in fact, increase. In fact, with someone disabled as long as Michael it's almost easy to forget, in a strange way, just how much work his life takes because it's just so normal. His hands are all contracted and you just get used to it. You don't think about things like how he can't wear gloves in the winter, no matter how cold, because he can't put them on. It just doesn't occur to us and he doesn't point it out. In general, we don't think about 49 year olds needing help and honestly, if you were to meet Michael he is so positive and upbeat that it would be very easy to look at him as someone who has everything entirely under control. Makes him a joy to be around, a heck of a teacher in dignity, grace and fortitude but yowsa what the man behind the curtain goes through...
So please, if you can, help spread the word to your own networks, or maybe at your own blogs. This literally is about keeping Michael alive, out of the hospital and as independent as possible. If anyone has any additional ideas for us on ways to get support, I'm all ears. ...
Thanks everyone!
Here's an
excerpt from a story
about Michael getting trapped in his van recently:
Michael's van, affectionately known as "The Starship" has a few "issues" beyond what one would normally expect in a 103,000 mile mini-van. When I met him on Friday with plans to help him get to the Sprint store to replace his failing phone he pulled into the parking lot, rolled down the window and said,
"It took me a few seconds to realize the implications, but look..."
He hit the switch to open the door and extend his ramp only to reveal the door jammed midway open, barring the ramp from extending. He was trapped, quite literally, in his van.
The good news: It was nice weather and the mechanic had agreed to come to meet us in a Quizno's parking lot to free him. Being able bodied, I was able to get in and keep him company for the hour and a half wait.
The bad news: The door jammed again as he was getting ready to head home at 8 pm preventing him from getting into the van.
The good news: The mechanic's home number was listed and he was willing and able to come back out, the thunderstorms had waned to a light drizzle allowing him to work and an hour later we were able to get Michael home. He is now sporting a duct taped running board (which was the culprit jamming the door) to match the bungee cord holding on his front bumper. He has to get into the body shop soon or he really is risking getting trapped again in a much less congenial situation.
And yes, I'm pulling on
your heartstrings, I hope. I'm shameless, don't you know. I also believe in
seva - in service to others. This job is just bigger than I can handle on my
own. So I need you and Michael REALLY needs you. And The Starship needs you.
Here are some links to
help you find the rest of the story, and lots of stuff about Michael; how he's
one of the good guys, what he's done with his life from the wheelchair, other
ways to help - stuff like that.
Thanks so much for taking
your time to read this. And thanks for all that open-heart giving that's
happening now. You're the best.
ABOUT Michael - bio-type stuff:
http://laurayoung.typepad.com/rollingrishi/about-michael-schwass.html
Mike's own request.
http://laurayoung.typepad.com/rollingrishi/contributions.html
a post about Michael's book
http://laurayoung.typepad.com/rollingrishi/about-dont-blame-the-game.html
Mike's blog – pages of great info,
and insight into the man.
http://laurayoung.typepad.com/rollingrishi/
Laura's 1st req.
http://laurayoung.typepad.com/dragonslaying/2008/04/scenes-from-a-f.html
Laura's update & 2nd request
http://laurayoung.typepad.com/dragonslaying/2008/04/were-on-our-way.html
the donate now link.
http://www.typepad.com/t/app/public/tj?__mode=tip_confirm&id=192136&user_id=469601
