Support Grandma Del in her Recovery from Alligator Attack
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Imagine the horror. The shock. The unimaginable pain.
It was a tragic day for the Boppel family when the life of our beloved 84-year-old mother, affectionately referred to as “Grandma Del,” was forever changed when she was brutally attacked by a 7-foot 3-inch alligator in North Fort Myers, Florida. Del was walking her dog, Queen, in her front yard when she was charged at by an alligator. She yanked her dog out of the way in an act of heroism, sacrificing herself. The gator grabbed her by the leg, knocked her down, and started dragging her several feet to the edge of the pond. She fiercely fought back by kicking with her free leg and punching it in the face with her arthritic hands. In the chaos of the attack, she also lost her cherished wedding ring, a precious reminder of her late husband. Miraculously, the gator released her, and she scooted away from the water's edge as quickly as possible, all the while screaming for help. Thankfully, neighbors overheard and rushed to the rescue, dialing 911.
Grandma Del, once an adventurous soul, has been left with serious, life-altering injuries. She sustained serious damage to her leg, hand, and arm. The severity of the injuries, especially to her right leg, which was mangled at the knee and below, are quite shocking. Her injuries will require extensive reconstructive surgery and specialized care. The risk of infection settling in is also a great concern. Her right arm and arthritic hand will also require long days of healing.
As Grandma Del embarks on this long journey of recovery, she faces staggering medical bills and rehabilitation costs. Prior to the incident, she maintained her own household, spoiled her cat and dog, nurtured plants and kept busy painting ceramics and restoring collectibles. She is a mother and grandmother, full of love and vitality. She has four children, six grandchildren and 1 great grandchild on the way. She has always been strong-willed, supportive, and the first to crack a joke to make everyone laugh. She always shares her love for nature, wildlife, pets and diverse cultures with family and friends. She has always been so full of life, so creative in her pursuit of art and horticulture, as can be seen by her numerous garden statues and knick-knacks.
Del’s Selfless Services
Del has always been one to help friends and family in need. She selflessly cared for her dying sister, Jean, driving to Pine Island multiple times per week for years as Jean struggled with limited palliative care for cancer. She visited and cared for a local friend Gerard who was ill, bringing him to appointments, shopping for him, caring for his dog when he was hospitalized on numerous occasions. She was notorious for her creative and meaningful care packages, carefully crafted for her children and grandchildren despite her limited means. Del has made the most out of every day despite her limited means.
Double Tragedy Strikes
Daughter Dawn and her husband Rich, who is a Veteran, are her closest relatives and have been caring for her as needed for years. Fixing appliances as they break, helping to maintain the trailer and bringing her to appointments. They too, experienced tragedy when their beautiful home was nearly demolished by Hurricane Ian. They had just remodeled it when the storm struck, forcing them to drain their savings to rebuild it yet again. This alligator attack adds to the physical and financial struggles our family has faced.
We Can’t Do This Alone
We are reaching out to our incredible community. We know your compassion runs deep, and we believe that together, we can make a difference. Every donation, no matter how small, will go directly to Grandma Del’s medical expenses, rehabilitation and the support she and her family need to aid in her recovery. This once vivacious lady is confined to a hospital bed for an unpredictable length of time, and no one can say how much mobility she will have when the wounds heal. She lives on a fixed income, so in-house nursing care at this point is nothing more than a dream due to her limited social security income. We are searching for affordable rehabilitation centers for as long as possible once we know the wounds are healed enough to allow for movement. Your generosity can help ease our family’s burdens, provide access to the best possible care, and offer a glimmer of hope in these dark times.
Let’s Show Grandma Del She is Not Alone!
We are not just a community, we are a family. Let’s wrap Grandma Del in a blanket of love and support, just as she has always done for us. Please donate what you can. Share this story. Let’s turn heartbreak into hope, pain into power. Together, we can help Grandma Del bloom again. Thank you for reading her story and for any support that you can provide.
Organizer
Pamela Nankervis
Organizer
North Fort Myers, FL