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My name is Judi Welch and I am starting this Go Fund Me page to help raise money to buy a service dog for my best friend Mitzi. In January 1993, Mitzi was taking her boyfriend and a close friend back to their barracks at Camp Pendleton’s Marine Base after a short leave due to flooding caused by heavy rains. Mitzi had let both men stay at her home while their barracks were uninhabitable. While driving on base, Mitzi was hit head on by a drunk marine. While Mitzi had been a good samaritan helping friends in need, this particular marine had spent his day drinking a case of beer and multiple shots of Tequila. The brunt of the crash happened on Mitzi’s side of the car, the force of the crash was as if she had hit a wall going 110 miles per hour. Mitzi’s car did not have air bags and as a result the engine wound up on her lap, she had multiple life threatening injuries but the greatest was a traumatic brain injury. Mitzi died and was brought back to life more than once on her life flight to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo where the doctors and nurses there saved her life. Mitzi was in a coma for 6 weeks and hospital rehabilitation for 9 months. The driver of the car had minor injuries and was sentenced to the Brig (Military Jail) for only 18 months, but was released after 13 months. Mitzi was, sentenced to life spent in a wheelchair with full time nursing care for the rest of her life.
Even after this life altering crash Mitzi went back on her own accord, once released from the hospital, to speak to Marines on Camp Pendleton's Marine base about drunk driving. To date, Mitzi has volunteered to speak to over 100,000 Marines and various high school classes to promote safe Homecoming and Prom as well as so many others who have been touched by her story.
Mitzi has lived as a prisoner in her own body for 23 years. As a result of the car crash Mitzi is confined to a wheelchair, she has the use of only one arm since her left arm was crushed as it broke through the driver’s side window and was hit by the oncoming car, she suffers short term memory loss, can only see out of the left half of each eye, she has lost the ability to express sadness in the form of crying, and has voice projection issues due to having a tracheotomy for an extended period of time.
Mitzi was 24 when she was hit by the drunk driver, she has missed out on all that she ever hoped to have in life due to her injuries. She had a wonderful job she could not go back to because she needs full time nursing care, she has never married or had children. Her life is nothing like she dreamed or hoped it would be.
Over the last 23 years Mitzi has suffered immeasurable loss, from her health, her independence, her dreams and hopes to losing her mom in 2011. Mitzi’s mom was her constant companion and oversaw her nursing care. The loss of Mitzi’s mom has been a huge blow to Mitzi and the quality of her life.
Mitzi had been blessed with 3 dogs whom she adored, they were her fur babies and in the last 3 years she has lost one dog a year to various health problems. Most recently on January 7, 2016 Mitzi’s only dog and her constant companion, a Pug named, Bella was viciously attacked by a coyote in Mitzi’s backyard and Mitzi was defenseless and unable to save her.
This Go Fund Me is being created to raise money to buy Mitzi a service trained dog who has been trained specifically to assist people with disabilities. The wait time to get one of theses highly trained dogs donated through charitable means is up to 2 years. I don’t want Mitzi to wait another 2 years for a constant companion and dog to love. In order to buy a service trained dog we have to raise a minimum of $6,500. Mitzi is on a very fixed income living stickily on disability, so I would like to also raise enough money to help care for this dog. In addition to raising money for the dog, I would like to raise money for food, veterinary care when necessary, grooming costs and re-certification for the dog annually. The amount I am hoping to raise, $20,000 will allow Mitzi to care for this dog for at least 12 years; which should be a reasonable amount of time expected for this dog to serve Mitzi as her helper and companion.
Any amount you can give to help my friend Mitzi is deeply appreciated, not only by me, but by Mitzi, a good samaritan who’s life changed that day she reached out and helped someone in need, like you are doing for her. Thank you for your contribution, Judi Welch
Even after this life altering crash Mitzi went back on her own accord, once released from the hospital, to speak to Marines on Camp Pendleton's Marine base about drunk driving. To date, Mitzi has volunteered to speak to over 100,000 Marines and various high school classes to promote safe Homecoming and Prom as well as so many others who have been touched by her story.
Mitzi has lived as a prisoner in her own body for 23 years. As a result of the car crash Mitzi is confined to a wheelchair, she has the use of only one arm since her left arm was crushed as it broke through the driver’s side window and was hit by the oncoming car, she suffers short term memory loss, can only see out of the left half of each eye, she has lost the ability to express sadness in the form of crying, and has voice projection issues due to having a tracheotomy for an extended period of time.
Mitzi was 24 when she was hit by the drunk driver, she has missed out on all that she ever hoped to have in life due to her injuries. She had a wonderful job she could not go back to because she needs full time nursing care, she has never married or had children. Her life is nothing like she dreamed or hoped it would be.
Over the last 23 years Mitzi has suffered immeasurable loss, from her health, her independence, her dreams and hopes to losing her mom in 2011. Mitzi’s mom was her constant companion and oversaw her nursing care. The loss of Mitzi’s mom has been a huge blow to Mitzi and the quality of her life.
Mitzi had been blessed with 3 dogs whom she adored, they were her fur babies and in the last 3 years she has lost one dog a year to various health problems. Most recently on January 7, 2016 Mitzi’s only dog and her constant companion, a Pug named, Bella was viciously attacked by a coyote in Mitzi’s backyard and Mitzi was defenseless and unable to save her.
This Go Fund Me is being created to raise money to buy Mitzi a service trained dog who has been trained specifically to assist people with disabilities. The wait time to get one of theses highly trained dogs donated through charitable means is up to 2 years. I don’t want Mitzi to wait another 2 years for a constant companion and dog to love. In order to buy a service trained dog we have to raise a minimum of $6,500. Mitzi is on a very fixed income living stickily on disability, so I would like to also raise enough money to help care for this dog. In addition to raising money for the dog, I would like to raise money for food, veterinary care when necessary, grooming costs and re-certification for the dog annually. The amount I am hoping to raise, $20,000 will allow Mitzi to care for this dog for at least 12 years; which should be a reasonable amount of time expected for this dog to serve Mitzi as her helper and companion.
Any amount you can give to help my friend Mitzi is deeply appreciated, not only by me, but by Mitzi, a good samaritan who’s life changed that day she reached out and helped someone in need, like you are doing for her. Thank you for your contribution, Judi Welch