Help TBI Survivor Move to Assisted Living Home
Donation protected
This story begins 9 years ago, in May of 2011. Bethany Beck (Mooter) was riding her bike home in Spokane, WA down a very steep hill towards downtown. She wasn't wearing a helmet. She hit a patch of gravel, began to fishtail, and took a terrible spill.
She was pronounced DOA when paramedics arrived, but was miraculously revived. The Doctors contacted her family and told them to "come say their goodbyes". Bethany defied all odds and survived the craniotomy, her vitals improving over the 2 weeks she spent in a coma.
Bethany went through many months of rehabilitation with the amazing staff at St. Luke's. If you would like to learn more about that journey, you can visit the blog her Dad kept during that time
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) are incredibly nuanced; they are fairly new and unstudied in the medical community, since modern technology has only just made it possible for victims to survive such catastrophic injuries. Through intensive speech, physical, and occupational therapy she regained speech and the ability to walk fairly quickly. Six months after the craniotomy was performed, the large portion of her skull was replaced and she no longer had to wear the helmet that worked as a signaler to those around her that something was up.
It is the more inconspicuous things that have been changed in an irreversible way; personality changes, impulsivity, and chronic fatigue. The most troublesome symptom of her injury is the amnesia that has blocked out huge portions of her past, as well as the total lack of short term memory. A regular day for Bethany looks like not remembering if she has eaten, forgetting to turn off the stove (she has started countless kitchen fires), and getting lost in her own neighborhood.
For the past 9 years of recovery, Bethany has had some success living in Catholic Charities housing with regular aid from professional caregivers and family. However, it became increasingly clear that Bethany is unable to live independently and needs a more supportive environment. Her family spent years searching for a better living situation, but unfortunately waiting lists are long and options were limited mostly to nursing homes for the elderly.
Starting in 2020 the danger for Bethany reached a fever pitch. She was hospitalized four times in the span of 2 months due to predatory behavior from some bad actors, and was facing the threat of eviction.
Miraculously, in July of 2020 an opening became available in Terry Home, an innovative boarding home in Auburn, WA that caters exclusively to young individuals fallen victim to TBI. You can visit their website to learn more about the incredible opportunities this organization offers for those impacted by TBI.
24/7 supportive staff, group therapy, medication management, nutritious meals, group outings, and job training are just the beginning of what this incredible home has to offer. Moving Bethany across the state and away from her family was not a decision that was taken lightly, but the amount of support she could receive at this home far outweighed the drawbacks.
These drawbacks, however, is where this Gofundme comes in. The biggest stumbling block to this move is the financial drain. The advantageous services at Terry Home eat up the entirety of Bethany's SSI income. There is no room left for necessities such as phone bill, hygiene items, clothing, outings, and dog food for her beloved and scruffy companion pet Yoda.
Terry Home offers a job training program, and our hope is that once the threat of Covid-19 dissipates and the state opens up, Bethany will be able to find supportive employment. This would enable her to earn a small stipend to cover her needs. Until then, her loved ones are hoping that her community can chip in to help us all bridge the gap.
We are asking for $9,000, which gives her $750 a month to cover her necessities for a year. We understand this is a lot to ask, but we firmly believe that Terry Home is the right place for Bethany. There she will find stability and safety, social interaction with people who understand what she has been through, and greater opportunity for recovery and autonomy through job training and volunteering.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about this unique and wonderful woman's journey. Despite the hardships life has thrown at her, Bethany remains an effervescent individual who makes friends with everyone she meets. Her family loves her fiercely and has endured countless heartbreaks and miracles to see her through where she is today.
We are so grateful to every family, friend, and complete stranger who has supported Bethany through this journey and believed in her. Thank you for having confidence that Bethany can continue to carve out a life for herself full of meaning and purpose.
Bethany on her trusty trike, making sure to wear a helmet!
Bethany entering the gates of Terry Home in Auburn, WA.
She was pronounced DOA when paramedics arrived, but was miraculously revived. The Doctors contacted her family and told them to "come say their goodbyes". Bethany defied all odds and survived the craniotomy, her vitals improving over the 2 weeks she spent in a coma.
Bethany went through many months of rehabilitation with the amazing staff at St. Luke's. If you would like to learn more about that journey, you can visit the blog her Dad kept during that time
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) are incredibly nuanced; they are fairly new and unstudied in the medical community, since modern technology has only just made it possible for victims to survive such catastrophic injuries. Through intensive speech, physical, and occupational therapy she regained speech and the ability to walk fairly quickly. Six months after the craniotomy was performed, the large portion of her skull was replaced and she no longer had to wear the helmet that worked as a signaler to those around her that something was up.
It is the more inconspicuous things that have been changed in an irreversible way; personality changes, impulsivity, and chronic fatigue. The most troublesome symptom of her injury is the amnesia that has blocked out huge portions of her past, as well as the total lack of short term memory. A regular day for Bethany looks like not remembering if she has eaten, forgetting to turn off the stove (she has started countless kitchen fires), and getting lost in her own neighborhood.
For the past 9 years of recovery, Bethany has had some success living in Catholic Charities housing with regular aid from professional caregivers and family. However, it became increasingly clear that Bethany is unable to live independently and needs a more supportive environment. Her family spent years searching for a better living situation, but unfortunately waiting lists are long and options were limited mostly to nursing homes for the elderly.
Starting in 2020 the danger for Bethany reached a fever pitch. She was hospitalized four times in the span of 2 months due to predatory behavior from some bad actors, and was facing the threat of eviction.
Miraculously, in July of 2020 an opening became available in Terry Home, an innovative boarding home in Auburn, WA that caters exclusively to young individuals fallen victim to TBI. You can visit their website to learn more about the incredible opportunities this organization offers for those impacted by TBI.
24/7 supportive staff, group therapy, medication management, nutritious meals, group outings, and job training are just the beginning of what this incredible home has to offer. Moving Bethany across the state and away from her family was not a decision that was taken lightly, but the amount of support she could receive at this home far outweighed the drawbacks.
These drawbacks, however, is where this Gofundme comes in. The biggest stumbling block to this move is the financial drain. The advantageous services at Terry Home eat up the entirety of Bethany's SSI income. There is no room left for necessities such as phone bill, hygiene items, clothing, outings, and dog food for her beloved and scruffy companion pet Yoda.
Terry Home offers a job training program, and our hope is that once the threat of Covid-19 dissipates and the state opens up, Bethany will be able to find supportive employment. This would enable her to earn a small stipend to cover her needs. Until then, her loved ones are hoping that her community can chip in to help us all bridge the gap.
We are asking for $9,000, which gives her $750 a month to cover her necessities for a year. We understand this is a lot to ask, but we firmly believe that Terry Home is the right place for Bethany. There she will find stability and safety, social interaction with people who understand what she has been through, and greater opportunity for recovery and autonomy through job training and volunteering.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about this unique and wonderful woman's journey. Despite the hardships life has thrown at her, Bethany remains an effervescent individual who makes friends with everyone she meets. Her family loves her fiercely and has endured countless heartbreaks and miracles to see her through where she is today.
We are so grateful to every family, friend, and complete stranger who has supported Bethany through this journey and believed in her. Thank you for having confidence that Bethany can continue to carve out a life for herself full of meaning and purpose.
Bethany on her trusty trike, making sure to wear a helmet!
Bethany entering the gates of Terry Home in Auburn, WA.
Fundraising team: The Mooter Team (3)
Cassandra Tuttle
Organizer
Raised $90 from 3 donations
Spokane, WA
Winston Wilbur
Beneficiary
Rachael Mooter
Team member
Raised $300 from 1 donation
Paul Mooter
Team member
This team raised $1,360 from 19 other donations.
