The Joseph Groh Foundation is a great organization that gives financial support to people in the construction field who have suffered life-altering injuries. Once a year, the Joseph Groh Foundation honors several recipients with a grant and this year the Joseph Groh Foundation was honored to announce Daniel Parker as a recipient.
Daniel has spent 45 years in the construction industry and worked as a finish carpenter managing crews in Tigard, Oregon for the last 28 years. As a hiking aficionado, Daniel adored hiking in the Oregon wilderness, and in June 2016, while hiking back down “The Tooth,” a peak over 5600 feet in the Snoqualmie Pass area near Seattle, the ground at the trail’s edge broke away and he fell 70 feet down a boulder field.
The fall was devastating, leading to a spinal cord injury, a concussion, hemorrhagic brain lacerations, and a fractured left arm. Upon ending rehab, Daniel had mobility in his arms, but could no longer use his fingers. While insurance supplied him with a power wheelchair, Daniel hoped to keep his upper body strength and cardiac health and desired an ultralight, collapsible manual wheelchair.
Because Daniel needs constant in-home care and had to buy a home equipped with a patient lift and wheelchair entry, he was unable to afford the wheelchair he desired. Until he discovered the Joseph Groh Foundation! Below is the letter his daughter, Linden, sent in to the Joseph Groh Foundation:
“Thank you so much, Joe! Dan has used the wheelchair for a number of outings including a friend’s birthday, a canoe club New Year celebration, and for running errands. Attached is a picture of Dan making his first trip to the credit union in his new chair. The exact same errand (getting a form notarized) took two days to schedule and was a big hassle with a lift equipped taxi that could fit his power wheelchair. It was an easy 40 minute round trip in his own car thanks to having the manual chair! The increased independence is so amazing – thank you for your organization’s financial support in helping to make this happen!”
Service Experts is an official sponsor of the Foundation and long-term friend of Joe’s. To discover more about the Joseph Groh Foundation or to donate, see their website.