A Mothers Wish

I began this blog with happy holidays and cheerful, but the more I began to write, the less cheerful I have become.  Solemn now actually. 
An old friend of mine, Kelly Tontodonato, who I have not talked to in many years, contacted me via Facebook on behalf of her son Louis Tontodonato.
Louis Tontodonato is a 19 year old boy who lives out here in The Estates, a graduate of Palmetto Ridge High, and who has since been struck with a tragedy beyond any parents dreams.  Louis was in a bad car accident and is now a paraplegic.
Kelly wrote that he was getting ready to start college at Florida Southwestern, graduated in May with a 3.9 GPA.  He played baseball with my son Daniel as well.  Louis was going to tryout for the college team and he still plans on going to college next year. He wants to major in finance.
 

GGALL Red Sox 2010. My son Daniel, is second one in kneeling, Louis next to him. Third one in kneeling.

Below is Louis and Kelly on graduation day in May 2014 and the second photo is of him in the hospital thereafter.  Heartbreaking. 









The accident occurred on Davis Blvd. earlier this year and Louis was the passenger.  As Kelly wrote, “The accident report says 7/24/14 at 12:03am but we say the 23rd because 7 & 24 are his baseball numbers.”


My heart goes out to this family and I write to you for help. They need your help.  Let’s come together and make another family’s holiday that much happier.  Below is the letter Kelly wrote to me yesterday and it explains what they need.

Kelly wrote;
“Good morning Annette. I was wondering if you could help us out? It is hard to ask but it is for my son Louis and I am desperate. He was in a car accident and he is now a quadriplegic. We have not been home since July. We are here in Atlanta, Ga. in the Shepherds Rehab Center. He is working very hard to gain some mobility back and has gone from a power chair to a manual chair.  His spirits are great and he is just about done with therapy here. We have a rehab center lined up in Naples for him but this is where I need your help if you can. His home is not handicapped friendly. We need to redo his bathroom and have a new entrance way to the house. I have applied for a grant from the Travis Roy Foundation and I have not heard from them as of yet.  One contractor has committed to donate the time and cement for the sloping sidewalk for the entrance, but we still need a new screen door for the entrance. We have received bids from $6,700 up to $8,000 for the remodels.”

“I have not been working since the accident. People have suggested to me to contact our local news to ask for help with this situation but it is very hard to ask for charity, but when it comes to your children we would lay down and die for them!”

“I know this is a book and I have not even asked yet, but what I am asking from you is, is there anyway you can help with getting the word out in our community in hopes that someone may be able to donate any contribution?  From supplies, labor, to  anything so we can come home and Louis will have a handicapped accessible in his own home.”

“Annette, thank you for just reading this and please if you can help in anyway we would be most grateful. God Bless!“

Kelly can be reached at 239-200-9093.  And Louis’s Godfather has since set up a GoFundMe site that can be found here.

http://www.gofundme.com/help-lou-tonto

Please give this family a great Christmas and let’s pitch in and make a mothers wish come true.

Merry Christmas!
PS: Sorry about the two different font sizes, no way to fix it on this platform. Drives me nuts!