Challenging Disability and the American Dream
Donation protected
My name is Jeremy Dean Russell, many of you that know me are aware that in July of 1996, I fell asleep on the way home driving a 1969 Jeep Commando. I over corrected and rolled corner to corner three times while being ejected on the second roll. The Jeep blew up and went upside down in the Colorado River. If it had not caught the riverbank on fire, I would not be here now. This split second in time would change my life forever. I have no recollection of the accident, but by God’s grace, a truck driver called in a brush fire and unknowingly saved my life.
My first cognitive memory was 30 days later, I found myself in a wheelchair with tubes sticking out of me everywhere, I had lost 13 years of memory from a TBI, was told that I had bleed to death from massive internal injuries, had a broken pelvis, separated SI joint, punctured lung and the list goes on. My right leg badly damaged, nearly ripped from my body was put back together. I kept it for some time but later it became infected with MRSA, after 28 different debridements and almost going deaf from the antibiotics, the doctors removed it emergent to save my life.
After years in the hospital and adapting to the aftermath, by fate, I was Introduced to an enormous wall of alabaster, I was given the opportunity to carve a fifty-foot eagle; I dubbed it “The Freedom Eagle”. I spent the next 18 years carving and fighting to finish this dream, but found myself spinning my wheels in a pool of red tape.
I had to move on, leaving a part of my heart and soul inside that mountain. I moved to Grand Junction, CO, to be closer to family and to reinvent myself once again. I accepted a job at an amazing company called RDI as a CNC, plasma table operator. Bought a house in Orchard Mesa with my Wife Kelly and worked my tail off in the pursuit of the American Dream.
It is at this time that I find myself in a wheelchair, haunted by the damage done in the accident. After years of fighting to get off of disability it seems that I have worked my way rite back into it. My body just couldn't keep up with my drive and ambition. I just recently lost my ability to speak after dealing with bi-pulmonary embolisms and other complications after the surgery to replace the spinal cord implant which I consider a silver lining because now I at least have the ability to shut down the pain in my lower extremities. My employer who has stuck in there with me finally had to let me go, they hung in there for over 5 pay periods but had to make the decision to terminate me. I'm grateful that they hung on as long as they did.
My wife Kelly, who works for the state, has used up all of her family medical leave taking care of me. She had to return to her job or lose it. At this time I've ran into yet another horrible problem. Blood clots in my lower left leg caused a condition called compartment syndrome and after 21 days in the hospital and 9 horrific surgeries I'm about to lose my leg. Compartment syndrome acted like an internal tourniquet which caused nerve damage and has left my ankle and foot unusable. My only hope is that they can salvage enough tissue so that I can keep my knee joint. It will be a long road but I will overcome.
I need your help while I undergo the necessary medical treatment and therapy.
Please help me to help myself and my family,
All of my Best!
Jeremy Dean Russell
My first cognitive memory was 30 days later, I found myself in a wheelchair with tubes sticking out of me everywhere, I had lost 13 years of memory from a TBI, was told that I had bleed to death from massive internal injuries, had a broken pelvis, separated SI joint, punctured lung and the list goes on. My right leg badly damaged, nearly ripped from my body was put back together. I kept it for some time but later it became infected with MRSA, after 28 different debridements and almost going deaf from the antibiotics, the doctors removed it emergent to save my life.
After years in the hospital and adapting to the aftermath, by fate, I was Introduced to an enormous wall of alabaster, I was given the opportunity to carve a fifty-foot eagle; I dubbed it “The Freedom Eagle”. I spent the next 18 years carving and fighting to finish this dream, but found myself spinning my wheels in a pool of red tape.
I had to move on, leaving a part of my heart and soul inside that mountain. I moved to Grand Junction, CO, to be closer to family and to reinvent myself once again. I accepted a job at an amazing company called RDI as a CNC, plasma table operator. Bought a house in Orchard Mesa with my Wife Kelly and worked my tail off in the pursuit of the American Dream.
It is at this time that I find myself in a wheelchair, haunted by the damage done in the accident. After years of fighting to get off of disability it seems that I have worked my way rite back into it. My body just couldn't keep up with my drive and ambition. I just recently lost my ability to speak after dealing with bi-pulmonary embolisms and other complications after the surgery to replace the spinal cord implant which I consider a silver lining because now I at least have the ability to shut down the pain in my lower extremities. My employer who has stuck in there with me finally had to let me go, they hung in there for over 5 pay periods but had to make the decision to terminate me. I'm grateful that they hung on as long as they did.
My wife Kelly, who works for the state, has used up all of her family medical leave taking care of me. She had to return to her job or lose it. At this time I've ran into yet another horrible problem. Blood clots in my lower left leg caused a condition called compartment syndrome and after 21 days in the hospital and 9 horrific surgeries I'm about to lose my leg. Compartment syndrome acted like an internal tourniquet which caused nerve damage and has left my ankle and foot unusable. My only hope is that they can salvage enough tissue so that I can keep my knee joint. It will be a long road but I will overcome.
I need your help while I undergo the necessary medical treatment and therapy.
Please help me to help myself and my family,
All of my Best!
Jeremy Dean Russell
Organizer
Jeremy Dean Russell
Organizer
Grand Junction, CO
Begin your fundraising journey
