Help Coach Rafael's Return to Tennis

My story is fairly long, fairy tale it is not.

On Sept 29th of 2023, I had a bicycle accident with serious repercussions. I woke up on the road in Carmel Valley and could not move. My head was severely injured with a concussion, I had 60 stitches in the front of my head, a Spinal Cord injury at C1-C4 level, and the diagnosis of a Central Cord Syndrome, which blocks nerve signals between my brain, arms, hands and legs, which makes it difficult to move.

Each day I stayed in the trauma unit at Scripps Memorial Hospital was a game of patience; by the 8th day, it was clear to me that it was going to be one hour at a time, tinny gains each day, setbacks and up and down emotional upheaval. The physical pain I have learned to take throughout my life, but the difficulty performing the simplest tasks, such as learning to brush my teeth and walking slowly, that is challenging me and my belief system.

So, I started to draw parallels from Tennis. After my first Occupational therapy session, I made my own routine focused on slowly rising off the bed while keeping my head still and searching for great balance over and over. I knew then if I could do that, I could stay positive and connected with my slow-progressing body.

The game of Tennis has been one of my biggest passions in my life. It has long lived all throughout the years that I have lived in the United States. Precisely 24 of the 25 years that I have lived in San Diego. Naturally originating from Soccer, the footwork added the visual observation from my aunt's smooth wooden racquet 70s style strokes and Roger Federer's modern game on a VHS tape. Of course, I cannot forget my gradually developing love/hate relationship with my coach -The Wall. The dichotomy of a practicing wall it sure offers a steady rebound, a ball back with an opportunity to harness each stroke. Only if, the ball finds the wall and one is patient to endure the slow process of chiseling away the rough edges of a Tennis talent.

Finesse is at the heart of this relationship where a hard, unrelenting structure (The Wall) seeks to connect with a raw technique and a hardly apt mind to sustain the simple practice. I found out quite quickly that power, or rather playing with power, would not support my steady and smooth progress while engaging calmly with The Wall. Moreover, it is with this feeling of patience that I would like to welcome you into my world today.

The nature of my accident was quite sudden and also violent. Obviously, in retrospect, there is a silver lining that I am thinking of as a key element where Tennis and Cycling meet - The power of concentration-focusing in the present while making adjustments from stroke to stroke, from turn to turn. I was not in that mindful space when riding my bicycle before the accident. In fact, I was flying down a hill in Carmel Valley near the high school, going as fast as I could power up my legs; the finesse of handgrip and that feeling when the tires grip the road were completely absent. And the helmet? I left behind.

As I come to acquiesce in the aftermath of my accident, it clearly will be a much slower and longer process to heal physically and emotionally. Today, I am working on re-learning to grip things, walk slowly with balance, and move different parts of my body. I'm seeing slow progress daily. The story I have been telling my students that I will be back coaching Tennis and Surfing in a couple of weeks is now unrealistic. I am looking at months of hard work, and a Laminectomy surgery is recommended by my Doctor to function well again. The cost of this surgery is $15,000 USD, and it is not covered by my basic insurance.

My Doctor has also informed me that I need to attend Acute Neurological Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. With this Spinal Cord injury, rehabilitation is a must. He is asking that I have several sessions each week (3-4) for the next four months. The cost of each session is $250 USD. This will total to $12,000, plus the surgery cost of $15,000 will be $27,000. Since I have a basic insurance plan, these costs are not covered.

Financing each session and the surgery will require help from donors. My current ability to earn a living depends on a healthy body to coach. The little savings I possess will go towards food, transportation when I am well enough to move, and my 16-year-old daughter's basic needs.

My mindset is that I'm breaking down my rehab 1 set at a time, or one month of 12 sessions at a time; that way, I will better measure my progress in blocks.

I come to you through this fundraising campaign to humbly ask for your help for me to return to functioning well enough so I can return to Coaching Tennis as soon as possible based on my surgery and rehabilitation plan. Thank you for your time and for considering helping me; even a small donation will make a big difference for me. I truly hope to see you soon on the court.

With Gratitude, Coach Rafael Gassen