Help Rodney Finish College!
Donation protected
HELP RODNEY GO TO SCHOOL IN WISCONSIN! READ ABOUT HIS REMARKABLE STORY BELOW :)
PG
Back in 2003, my uncle Nick, a doctor, travelled from Wisconsin to a small city in Belize called Punta Gorda (PG). There he took up the position of Medical Director for Hillside Clinic, located just outside PG.
It wasn’t long before my family was hearing stories about PG and the incredible spirit of its people. I could tell that my uncle had fallen in love with the city, and not just from the “ I <3 PG” bumper sticker that he put on his car. Soon Nick was taking the family to Belize so that we could all see why it was so special.
When my sister and I went to PG in 2010, we visited the clinic where my uncle worked and where he formed one of his most significant relationships with an amazing young man named Rodney Borland.
RODNEY’S STORY
On the night of October 11, 2002, Rodney was working at his parents’ grocery store and getting ready to close, when a man with a stocking over his face entered. He demanded Rodney give him all of the money in the cash drawer. Rodney was too afraid to move, his blood ran cold. The robber yelled again. As Rodney moved toward the cash drawer he heard a loud BANG. He fell backwards and hit his head on a freezer that was behind him. As Rodney landed on the ground he felt a sharp blinding pain on the right side of his chest.
The robber ran and Rodney tried to assess how badly he was hurt. He didn’t see any blood at first, but soon it was covering his chest. His legs felt numb, he couldn’t move. In a state of panic he tried to call for help but could hardly produce a sound.
Rodney knew his mother was at home watching TV with his younger brother. He was beginning to get lightheaded and was losing hope that anyone would hear him. Despite increasingly painful breathing, he tried one last time to call for his mom and, luckily, she heard him.
His mom called for help. A nurse who was passing by came to their aid, grabbed a towel and started applying pressure to Rodney’s chest. Soon the ambulance came to take him to the hospital.
He would spend the next two years fighting for his life.
The bullet that entered Rodney’s chest broke two ribs, punctured his right lung and severed his spine.
As you can imagine, the recovery process was a long one. At one point Rodney even developed life threatening ulcers. Through the efforts of the Hillside Clinic staff and its supporters, Rodney was soon transported to the Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital in Wisconsin. He spent nearly 8 months receiving care and rehabilitation before returning to PG to continue his recovery.
MEETING RODNEY
When my sister and I met Rodney he was living in his family’s small home with his parents and brother. He had become a paraplegic due to the injuries and had to use a voice amplifying device to speak. Despite the trauma he endured and his restricted mobility, Rodney maintained an unbelievably positive attitude. He is so sweet, easy to talk to, really funny and incredibly bright.
RODNEY PERSERVERES
Although he spent all of 8th grade in the hospital, in 2004 Rodney took and passed his high school entry level exams. He attended H.S. at the Toledo Community College in PG. Rodney graduated in 2008 with honors from the science department and with the highest honors in physics, information technology, and literature.
In 2009, he applied to the University of Belize and was accepted into the Information Technology Bachelors Program with a merit based scholarship.
While attending the University, Rodney had to find a way to make ends meet. He taught himself to fix computers and decided to open his own computer repair business which he ran out of his home. He also turned the family car into a taxi to pick up extra cash and even took on a job as a video editor for the local news station.
In September of 2012, Rodney had to leave school to have surgery on his back. During his two month recovery his scholarship ended and he was unable to return to school.
In 2014 Rodney's mother, his biggest supporter and motivator, passed away from complications related to diabetes. Rodney was devastated.
Where some might have given up, Rodney pushed on more determined than ever. In 2015 he applied and was accepted to the University of Wisconsin, Parkside, located in Kenosha, WI.
Rodney wants to continue to follow his dream of pursuing education in honor of his father and his mother without whom he wouldn’t be where he is today. They always encouraged Rodney to follow his dreams, and with your help we can make them a reality!
Rodney is currently in Wisconsin in his first semester of college. While he has received funding for his first semester, he lacks the resources to complete the next few years of schooling. With your help, Rodney could stay in school and work towards achieving his dreams.
THANK YOU FOR READING RODNEY’S STORY! PLEASE HELP HIM TO CONTINUE HIS EDUCATION - HE DESERVES IT! <3 <3 <3
#HELPRODNEY
Speical thanks to Emily Janikian and Olivia Karls for working so hard on the video! <3
PG
Back in 2003, my uncle Nick, a doctor, travelled from Wisconsin to a small city in Belize called Punta Gorda (PG). There he took up the position of Medical Director for Hillside Clinic, located just outside PG.
It wasn’t long before my family was hearing stories about PG and the incredible spirit of its people. I could tell that my uncle had fallen in love with the city, and not just from the “ I <3 PG” bumper sticker that he put on his car. Soon Nick was taking the family to Belize so that we could all see why it was so special. When my sister and I went to PG in 2010, we visited the clinic where my uncle worked and where he formed one of his most significant relationships with an amazing young man named Rodney Borland.
RODNEY’S STORY
On the night of October 11, 2002, Rodney was working at his parents’ grocery store and getting ready to close, when a man with a stocking over his face entered. He demanded Rodney give him all of the money in the cash drawer. Rodney was too afraid to move, his blood ran cold. The robber yelled again. As Rodney moved toward the cash drawer he heard a loud BANG. He fell backwards and hit his head on a freezer that was behind him. As Rodney landed on the ground he felt a sharp blinding pain on the right side of his chest.
The robber ran and Rodney tried to assess how badly he was hurt. He didn’t see any blood at first, but soon it was covering his chest. His legs felt numb, he couldn’t move. In a state of panic he tried to call for help but could hardly produce a sound.
Rodney knew his mother was at home watching TV with his younger brother. He was beginning to get lightheaded and was losing hope that anyone would hear him. Despite increasingly painful breathing, he tried one last time to call for his mom and, luckily, she heard him.
His mom called for help. A nurse who was passing by came to their aid, grabbed a towel and started applying pressure to Rodney’s chest. Soon the ambulance came to take him to the hospital.
He would spend the next two years fighting for his life.
The bullet that entered Rodney’s chest broke two ribs, punctured his right lung and severed his spine.
As you can imagine, the recovery process was a long one. At one point Rodney even developed life threatening ulcers. Through the efforts of the Hillside Clinic staff and its supporters, Rodney was soon transported to the Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital in Wisconsin. He spent nearly 8 months receiving care and rehabilitation before returning to PG to continue his recovery.
MEETING RODNEY
When my sister and I met Rodney he was living in his family’s small home with his parents and brother. He had become a paraplegic due to the injuries and had to use a voice amplifying device to speak. Despite the trauma he endured and his restricted mobility, Rodney maintained an unbelievably positive attitude. He is so sweet, easy to talk to, really funny and incredibly bright.
RODNEY PERSERVERES
Although he spent all of 8th grade in the hospital, in 2004 Rodney took and passed his high school entry level exams. He attended H.S. at the Toledo Community College in PG. Rodney graduated in 2008 with honors from the science department and with the highest honors in physics, information technology, and literature.
In 2009, he applied to the University of Belize and was accepted into the Information Technology Bachelors Program with a merit based scholarship.
While attending the University, Rodney had to find a way to make ends meet. He taught himself to fix computers and decided to open his own computer repair business which he ran out of his home. He also turned the family car into a taxi to pick up extra cash and even took on a job as a video editor for the local news station.
In September of 2012, Rodney had to leave school to have surgery on his back. During his two month recovery his scholarship ended and he was unable to return to school.
In 2014 Rodney's mother, his biggest supporter and motivator, passed away from complications related to diabetes. Rodney was devastated.
Where some might have given up, Rodney pushed on more determined than ever. In 2015 he applied and was accepted to the University of Wisconsin, Parkside, located in Kenosha, WI.
Rodney wants to continue to follow his dream of pursuing education in honor of his father and his mother without whom he wouldn’t be where he is today. They always encouraged Rodney to follow his dreams, and with your help we can make them a reality!
Rodney is currently in Wisconsin in his first semester of college. While he has received funding for his first semester, he lacks the resources to complete the next few years of schooling. With your help, Rodney could stay in school and work towards achieving his dreams.
THANK YOU FOR READING RODNEY’S STORY! PLEASE HELP HIM TO CONTINUE HIS EDUCATION - HE DESERVES IT! <3 <3 <3
#HELPRODNEY
Speical thanks to Emily Janikian and Olivia Karls for working so hard on the video! <3
Organizer and beneficiary
Rodney J Borland
Organizer
Racine, WI
Rodney Borland
Beneficiary
