NorCal SCI Family Support Network

We are acutely aware that a Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder does not just affect the individual but also those closest to that person. Family and friends can be easily overwhelmed with the responsibility to do their best to support their loved one. We have family members who have been there before with their son, daughter or spouse and will be more than happy to share their own experiences on how they successfully navigated their way through the challenges.

Check out the family profiles below and if there is anyone you would like to talk to, email us at info@norcalsci.org and we will connect you with them.

The Calcagnos

James and Sue Ellen Calcagno's son, Dante, suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury (C-4) in August of 2013 when he was 16 years old. After a devastating mountain bike crash near their home in Aptos, Dante was airlifted to SCVMC for emergency surgery.  They all spent two months at the facility and hoped for the best.  

Despite his injuries, with incredibly hard work by Dante and the medical team, family and friends, Dante experienced significant return and was able to stand and take assisted steps days before leaving the hospital.  He went back to 10th grade initially in a wheelchair and learned a new way of living. In 2016, Dante began college, concentrating on business and has become an accomplished photographer along the way.
 
"This event dramatically changed our life perspectives and we made progress because of many generous individuals who encouraged the entire family along the way. We are happy to share our survival story and help be a source of support."
 
Sue Ellen and James Calcagno

The Keenans

Jim and Jeanne Keenan's son, Matt, suffered multiple injuries from a climbing accident in Dec 2015 that resulted in an incomplete C7-8 spinal cord injury. 

At 22 years old, he was attending Humboldt State University. After his initial triage, he was airlifted to UC Davis Medical Center where spinal surgery was performed to replace his shattered C7 disc. He spent approximately five weeks in ICU at UC Davis as he started his recovery and initial therapy. In January 2016, he was transferred to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center to provide more specific SCI care and therapy.  Matt spent several months in the RTC to recover his breathing and strength. It was here that they discovered a leaking heart valve that required heart surgery which was performed at SCVMC and required additional recovery time. After nearly six months in the hospital, Matt was able to come home to Fremont where he continued his recovery.

Matt continues to work hard and stay involved with family, friends and various activities. He has been involved in research studies at the VA in Palo Alto and started driving again in September 2017 and in January 2018, he began studying Recreational Therapy at SJSU.

"Matt's accident has changed our lives and we are forever grateful for all of the support and positive energy we received during this very difficult time. We would be happy to share our story and hopefully help others navigate through these difficult times."

Jim and Jeanne Keenan

The Bridgmans

In February of 2010, 32-year-old Chris Bridgman suffered a T-10 incomplete spinal cord injury when he crashed his dirt bike and was rushed by ambulance to SCVMC for emergency surgery. Chris and his wife, Jennifer, had been married for less than a year and were weeks away from welcoming their first child.  

“We knew nothing about paralysis or how profoundly our lives had just been altered,” explains Jennifer. “But as Chris went in for surgery, we made a vow to one another. We had no idea what the future would look like, but we would face it together.” 

Chris spent one month at VMC learning how to navigate life in a wheelchair. Despite all the unknowns and terrifying first milestones, he never lost his fighting spirit or hopeful outlook. As Chris explains, “Early on, I knew I had to make a conscious choice to stay positive. When something like this happens, you do a lot of soul searching.” Chris said. “You learn to dig deep.”

Once back home, Chris and Jennifer credit a strong support network with helping them adjust to their “new normal” -- which included not just home modifications, daily SCI routines and life in a wheelchair, but learning how to care for a newborn. Chris worked tirelessly in outpatient rehab to become as independent as possible, including learning to drive with hand controls and eventually returning to work as a mortgage loan officer. “Many people have commented how challenging it must have been to become a parent at the exact same time I became a paraplegic,” said Chris. “But honestly, being a father has been my greatest motivator.”

Today, Chris and Jennifer continue to lead a very active, adventurous and meaningful life. They are now parents to three young sons (two of which were conceived post-SCI with the help of fertility treatments).  Although Chris and Jennifer still love to travel, attend concerts and participate in adventure sports, their primary focus is spending time at home with their boys -- all three of whom learned to walk holding onto the back of Daddy’s chair. 

“Chris is the most hands-on, loving father imaginable,” Jennifer explains. “There is nothing he can’t do in his sons’ eyes. He is proof that a person’s physical capabilities are the least important factors in what makes a good parent.”

Despite the unforeseen path Chris’ journey has taken, he has never lost his positive outlook. “My family reminds me to live in the moment, to be grateful and to keep pushing forward. I feel very fortunate in this life, and I pledge to do all I can to help others who find themselves in a similar situation.”

Chris and Jennifer Bridgman

The Javiers 

At 6’4” and weighing 260 pounds, 18-year-old Jake Javier was a decorated high school football captain who had earned high grades with plans to study mechanical engineering and play collegiate football at Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo. On June 9, 2016, life changed in the blink of an eye. Jake was at an afternoon family pool party enjoying the last day of high school and dove into the deep end hitting his head at the bottom of the pool. Unable to resurface due to being instantly paralyzed, Jake was initially drowning, was given CPR and then airlifted to John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek. The injury fractured his C-5/C-6 rendering him with an ASIA A complete diagnosis. Jake experienced multiple complications in ICU adding to his recovery struggle.

What made this incredibly difficult life event somewhat bearable was the love, prayers, support, visits and generous donations from people near and far, including his loving siblings Cameron, Gabrielle and Jason, along with his parents James and Isabelle. This gave Jake the motivation and emotional lift necessary to face the challenges head-on. Needless to say, his entire family was on fast-track to learn anything and everything with regards to spinal cord injuries and recovery options.

The following 10 months were spent in three hospital institutions: 15 days in ICU at John Muir where they fused his C-4 through C-7 vertebraes, 2 1⁄2 months at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center for a stem-cell clinical trial along with rehab, followed by Craig Hospital in Colorado for additional in-patient rehab and participation in the Neuro Recovery Network (NRN) program. Jake worked tirelessly at every task he was given by his doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists. His determination to become as independent as possible was evident. His exemplary mindset rubbed off on all whom he met.

Today, Jake smiles when referring as having taken his “gap” year prior to heading to Cal Poly to study his new major; Biomedical Engineering. In September 2017, Jake started his freshman year at Cal Poly and is thriving in the University environment.  Jake uses voice recognition technology to learn and study among other adaptive technology devices. Jake and his mother, Isabelle, have often been called upon to assist others in the same predicament. They have done a lot of research which helped them transition to where Jake is now and have become a valuable resource to all who have called on them for advice.

The Javiers want to leave you with one word:  patience.  This was told to Jake when he was initially in ICU. The great Hall of Fame football player, Ronnie Lott, personally came to visit him and told him “above all, patience, you will need it more than ever” and this was the beginning of a very long recovery road that required an abundance of ... ‘patience’. 

James and Isabelle Javier

The Lawrences

Christmas 2018 promised to be one of the best yet, with a family vacation in Whistler, Canada planned for a long-awaited week of snowboarding. The whole family were skilled boarders, and the rock which caused Jo’s unexpected fall on Christmas Eve proved also to be the cause of a C4-C5 injury.

During her month stay in Vancouver Hospital and her following 7 weeks of rehab at Santa Clara Valley Med, she was fortunate to regain some movement on her left side. Her continued will to gain strength through exercising every day has allowed her to gain some independence while living at home with her parents.

Jo was at acting school in New York when she had her accident, but fortunately has been able to find commercial work in the Bay Area and L.A. Living at home was not on her roadmap but thanks to Covid and the move to remote learning, she has been able to attend acting classes and workshops to help her career. The incredible support of her family and friends have undoubtedly also helped her along that path, as they have all learned together to navigate her new direction in life.

“Support on this new and unknown journey is so vital to anyone affected by a spinal cord injury, and we are only too happy to pay it forward in any way we can,” says Tricia.

Kevin and Tricia Lawrence