Jose Castro

Name : Jose Castro

Date of Injury : My accident occurred on March 1, 2014.

Level of Injury : I suffered a C2 fracture, I have my vertebrae fused from C1-C4, and am an incomplete quadriplegic on a ventilator.

Brief description of how you are injured: The accident was the result of a jeep run incident, which occurred when the Jeep climbed a hill and came upon a steep precipice. The edge was deceiving and by the time we realized it was not a continuation of the road, we fell over the 20 ft. edge. I was given CPR until medical help was able to arrive and was then pronounced dead in the helicopter, while on our way to the hospital. They were able to revive me. Once I was aware of my situation, doctor’s depicted a very harsh reality, as they told me I was paralyzed and I wouldn’t be able to move or be able to sustain my neck, nor breathe on my own. As of today, I have surpassed many of the limitations they predicted for me, as I can sustain my neck and can breathe on my own for 40 minutes.

What type of assistance has Be Perfect provided for you, and how has that helped you regain an independent and active lifestyle? :
Be Perfect is a charitable organization that has provided me with financial assistance during stressful and taxing times in my family’s life. They have helped pay for my therapy and by doing so, they have offered me the opportunity to benefit from attending more days out of the week. They have re-instilled hope in my life by giving me an opportunity to do what I love to do. Working out and exercising my body has been a life-long passion, which had been ripped from my life. Now, the organization has allowed me the chance to actively work towards my goals.

How has Be Perfect re-instilled hope back into your life again? :

Seeing results has inspired me to continue pushing to achieve more goals.

How has The Perfect Step helped you (if applicable) : Be Perfect has given me the financial means to participate in a very meaningful program to me,The Perfect Step. The Perfect Step has helped me in ways that go far beyond their job description. They mean so much to me, because they were the only place that was willing take a chance on me. Sometimes, all a person needs to get back on their own two feet (both figuratively and literally) is for someone to take a chance on them. They gave me hope and have been worth all the sacrifices my family and I have gone through to attend therapy sessions. While other programs refused to look at my case and wrote my destiny before they had a chance get to know what I was capable of, The Perfect Step embraced and believed in my journey. This program has given me something to look forward to every day. It is my sanctuary, because the trainers have created an environment that allows me to believe in myself, especially on days when I start to lose the courage to do so. They are relentless engines that remind me of my strength and among everything I’ve lost, they’ve never allowed me to lose my faith in myself and that is invaluable to me. I attend four days out of the week and travel two hours to and from the facility.

What are some goals that you have set for yourself, that you are proud to say that you have achieve?

For three years the trainers at TPS have wanted to work towards my goals as actively and passionately as I do. Because of them, I have regained the ability to stabilize and sustain my neck on my own. I have regained limited arm and leg movement and I can initiate arm movement. I can also curl 5lbs on each arm, and ride the spin bike with limited assistance. All these goals are blessings and monumental feats the doctors never expected me to surpass. On days that I cannot attend, it feels as though I am not actively working towards my goals and my day is incomplete. Attending these sessions has become therapeutic for me, both physically and emotionally.

What are some future goals that you would like to attain, that Be Perfect can help you achieve?

Some of my new goals are being able to breath on my own indefinitely and not have to rely on the vent. Therapy is helping me work towards that goal, because they have helped strengthen my diaphragm. I would also like to gain more independence, like being able to maneuver my chair by myself and eventually be able to walk again.

Anything else that you would like to tell the donors or a simple thank you that you would like to give them?

I would like to take the time to sincerely express how thankful I am to everyone who has extended any sort of support for me. Thank you to all the people who have donated to Be Perfect. Because of you I am able to work towards beating paralysis. The donation isn’t just for a great cause; it’s changing lives like mine. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.