Quadriplegic Gold Star Brother Needs Your Help

My name is Carol (Piercy) Berberich, and I am raising funds for my son, Eric.

Memorial Day 2022 was hot, and Eric Piercy was looking forward to refreshing pool time with his kids at their College Station, Texas, home. But Eric slipped while entering their pool, hit his head on the bottom of the pool, and was immediately paralyzed. He severely injured his spinal cord and now is in a wheelchair as a tetraplegic (quadriplegic). He has been in and out of hospital emergency rooms and spent a month at The Institute of Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR) in Houston, Texas. He is now back in a hospital in College Station, awaiting transfer to Craig Hospital, a neurorehabilitation center in Denver, Colorado. Extensive physical therapy is necessary if he is ever to regain significant use and control over his arms, legs, and bodily functions.

Eric is the sole provider for his wife Ashley, who he married in December 2021, and their blended family of nine children. He is a U.S. Army veteran and Gold Star brother of his twin, Army SSG Brian Piercy, who was killed in action on July 19, 2010. Eric’s younger brother, Kevin, is also a veteran. Eric was honorably discharged for a medical injury during a training exercise.

Eric’s tragic accident has drastically impacted his entire family. In addition to caring for their children, Ashley is Eric’s full-time caregiver. The family modified their home to make it accessible to him. They are facing high expenses for his immediate medical and long-term care needs, including a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, adaptive equipment, additional home modifications, and high transportation costs. Eric’s medical insurance will not cover all of his essential costs, and it is anticipated that once government disability insurance commences, it will come nowhere near covering the expenses caused by this accident. Meanwhile, he and his family have no income and need help with household and everyday living expenses in addition to his medical care needs.

The latest news is hard. On August 1, a trip to a College Station hospital emergency room and an MRI revealed that scar tissue has formed on his spinal cord since his Memorial Day injury and July 19 surgery. The scarring has caused him to lose some of the mobility he worked so hard to regain after his accident. He is dealing with pain, multiple complications, and further degeneration of bodily functions. Nevertheless, despite great pain and a long healing journey ahead of him, Eric is determinedly optimistic as he works hard to get his life back and pursue a good future for himself and his family. His positive attitude and strong spiritual faith are inspiring.

Eric and all his family are very grateful for any support you can give them.