Anyone who knows me will say that I do not ask for help but this is a situation where I'm pleading for help for my hero. My hero is my mother. She's my hero because she is the strongest and most inspiring person I know. She is my rock and she needs your help.

Let's start from the beginning. On September 17, 1989 my mother was involved in a motorcycle accident. I was 12 years old and I still remember the phone call from the doctor as if it happened yesterday. "This is doctor Brown from the trauma department at VMC. Mary Padilla was involved in an auto accident and she won't live through the night. I need her next it kin to come to the hospital right away". Before I could get the words out asking what "trauma" was or how she was doing the doctor asked if I was related to Mary. I said yes and that I was her son and I was 12. The doctor responded by saying "Son I'm sorry, please call you father or relatives and tell them to get here as soon as possible" and hung up. Little did he know that my mom was a 27 year old single mother and it was me and my two younger brother's at home alone. I called my grandfather and we all went to the hospital.

My mother lived through the night but with sever brain swelling. She remained in a coma for two years and after 32 different operations she would finally wake up on mother's day 1991. She didn't remember what happened nor who any of us were. She couldn't speak and barely could track with her eyes. But she was awake and alive.

My mother would learn how to chew, spell, speak and move her left leg and arm. It took years and many tears and prayers for her to get where she is today. Today my mother is able to use an electric wheelchair and she lives in a handicap accessible apartment in Fresno CA.

Last week her Wheelchair went off course and it tipped over and feel on top of her. She broke her right arm and her left leg. This was a huge scare for all of us and needless to say it really wrecked my mom's spirits. My mother is a woman of faith and she is a constant positive force in my life. She builds me up and sends me daily words of encouragement. Again she is my rock and my hero. However, this accident has devastated her. She has been bed ridden until today because she didn't have a Hoyer Lift to get out of bed. She cannot put weight on her left leg as it's broken and I was able to buy her a top of the line lift yesterday which cost close to $1000.00. Today she was able to get out of bed and her spirit came up a bit. But she knows the road to recovery is long and challenging. As anyone who knows dealing with someone with paralysis any type of bone break or non activity can be absolutely challenging. It'll take her down a very bad course if she doesn't get physical therapy as soon as possible. Unfortunately MediCal only pays for limited PT.

Break the Barriers in Fresno will provide 1 hour of PT for $40.00 per session. I am swallowing my pride and asking for help for my mother. I help her financially each month but this is a cost that I cannot bare. I wish I could. I would like to help my mother raise $4000.00 for 100 hours of physical therapy. I had wanted to raise money for a handicap accessible van for my mother but his accident happened and this is now top priority. My mother has to take the city bus/HandiRide and or wheel in her chair to places because she has no other transportation. So in order to get her up and well and into her Wheelchair again she needs this help.

Any and all amounts will do.

Thank you for helping me to help my hero recover.

Thank you again.

Gil Gonzales