Joe's Beach Walker

Hello, my name is Joe and I'm 30 years old.  Here is my story. 
October 17, 2009 changed my life forever.  I was 24 at the time switching careers from a NYC carpenter to become a cop.  I was attending Briarcliffe and was all set to finish my last class that Sunday, 10/18 online.  The next day I was all psyched up to take the NYC police test.
My sister and I and some friends decided to go to our local bar/eatery and celebrate.  We met up with some friends, had some beers and went home to hang out in my driveway.  I had an Avalanche truck at the time and since I was drinking,  my friend drove it and I sat in the passenger seat, my sister and her friend in the back.  
I want to say I was an avid  gun enthusiast.  Always at the range, and very respectful of my firearms.  I have a good friend who is a cop and we would talk about guns and targets and stuff.  I had an old pistol from WW2, and decided to show my friend.  I went in my house, got the gun and went back outside.  My Mom knew just what I was getting out of my room and she told me to put it back.  It was late about 1:00am.  I didn't listen.  She was always saying things about guns in general.  So, I went out with my empty pistol.  The clip was out. No problem.  My sister who was in the back seat, said "Joe, put the gun down" and I said why, it's not loaded. Sure it wasn't loaded but there was a stray bullet in the chamber.  The gun went off and passed through the left side of my head and out the right side.  My family is devastated!  My sister is a mess, my Dad comes out and gives me CPR thinking I'm not breathing and my Mom is on the phone sobbing.  I was airlifted to Stonybrook with brains hanging out of my head!  
The Dr.'s put me in an induced coma.  The said expect the worst pray for the best.  It didn't look good.  Family came all the way from Jersey to see the last of me.  Dr. Egnor performed a craniotomy to relieve the pressure on my brain.  I had tubes, wires, bolts in my head, drains, you name it I had it.  I came out of the induced coma after 2 weeks.  I couldn't talk because of the trach. All this was written down in my Mom's journal she started.  My cranial pressure was through the roof.  I was having neuro storms, fevers, seizures.  My Dad's friend brings in his friend, Pastor James who asked permission to pray for me.  He did, and the next day my cranial pressure started to go down!  We are a strong, faithful family and believe God had saved me.
I was in Stonybrook for 6 weeks.  I was then transferred to St. Charles for rehab.  I was there for 4 months undergoing grueling therapy and all the while I could only say Dad, I love you Dad over and over.
Iwas transferred to John J. Foley for inhouse rehab.  I was there for 7 months.  Luckily, it was only 7 minutes from my house.  My family would come everyday.  November, a few day before Thanksgiving, my Mom said enough, I want my son home.  And I went home.
It's almost 6 years.  I've progressed tremendously thanks to hard work, perserverance and my physical therapist, Dr. Mantas Korsakis.  I can walk now with a walker and assitance.  My balance is not as strong but I'm working on it.  What I miss THE MOST is walking on the beach. The freedom I felt meeting people, feeling the sand is something I haven't felt in a few years.  I miss it.
I'm trying to raise money for a beach walker.  The cost is $1500.00.  Hopefully, I can raise the money by this summer.  It would be like a peice of my old life back to have the freedom I had in the past.  I would be forever grateful for your generosity.  Thank You.