Support Travis' Recovery From Spinal Injury

On the night of March 5, 2021, Travis suffered a tragic fall and fractured his C7-T1 vertebrae. The fracture also caused a dislocation that damaged his spinal cord. He underwent emergency surgery to fuse C7 and T1, but had lost all feeling and sensation below his chest. In addition to this, he suffered significant muscle and tendon tears in his right shoulder. 

The journey ahead figures to be a long and arduous one, with many unknowns. Travis was flown down to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA to begin his road to recovery at one of the best spinal rehabilitation programs in the country. He is accompanied by his girlfriend Danielle, who has taken temporary leave from her job to support Travis during the rehab phase. She is currently the only person allowed to accompany him due to COVID-19 safety precautions.

We started this GoFundMe page to raise money for the medical expenses that have followed from multiple surgeries, rehabilitation services, and treatments since Travis' accident. Travis has health insurance, however, there will be co-pays, out-of-pocket medical and day-to-day living expenses at a time when he and Danielle have income interruption. Any donations received will go directly to covering these expenses, as well as any future expenses that may come as a result of living with his spinal injury. 

A little bit about Travis: he is a genuinely kind, caring person who never hesitates to lend a helping hand. Those of us who know him are well-accustomed to the sound of his laugh and the way he brightens up a room. He is one of those rare individuals who can have fun doing just about anything, and as a result will be laughing most of the time while doing it. This quality is 110% contagious - we are all truly blessed to have Travis in our lives; he has probably added minutes, hours, and possibly even years to our lifespans by letting us in on the fun. When he is not laughing (or probably is), he loves to play sports, watch sports, and enjoy the outdoors. He is an avid runner, snowboarder, biker, and frisbee player who loves staying active. Travis graduated from Virginia Tech like his sister and parents before him - he is as natural-born a Hokie fan as they come. In fact, the only time you will find Travis quiet is after he has lost his voice from cheering the Hokies on, no matter the sport.

It's incredibly tough to see someone as active as Travis deal with these types of injuries. We are all hoping and praying that he can get back to doing the things he loves as quickly as possible, but he will need all the support he can get. Now more than ever, we are trying to return the kindness, laughter, and love he has shown us and others throughout his life. Please consider helping out in any way you can.

We greatly appreciate any donations that you are willing and able to offer. However, it is not the only way to help!!! We welcome your thoughts and prayers, and encourage you to follow Travis' journey through Caring Bridge. Please visit this link  to find more information and discover other ways to help support Travis and his family.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your time and consideration.