Gabe draws winning Maietta ticket!

Back in September, bicycle builder Anthony Maietta had the idea to raffle off one of his custom-built beauties to benefit Gabe’s medical flight back home to the East Coast. The ball got rolling in November and mail started poured in. Maine, New York, Kansas, Rhode Island, California, Washington, Colorado, Arizona, Florida, Massachusetts….all over. When the raffle ended on Tuesday, December 15, we counted over 700 tickets.

It took four days to collect them from their corners of the country, then Gabe was ready to draw one single ticket…

You can watch the video here. Tony gets a call announcing the winner……

Jarrett Shambian! Hailing from New York City, he is a devoted cyclist, bike polo player, and is generously making the prize a gift to his sweet, lovely lady. A very large THANK YOU is paid to each and every one of you who contributed–whether it was to win the bike or simply to make a donation.  A gigantic chunk of change off the expected billing for the air ambulance we will take very soon. Because so many of you have paid such devoted attention to the raffle as it has progressed, Tony will update his blog and website with photographs of the bike being built, painted, and hopefully its display at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NABHS) in February 2010.

A brief side note, Gabe is doing wondefully and is showing new progress in the last two weeks. He is helping to get himself dressed, assisting more readily in grooming, physically participating in activities like games and reading and physical exertion in the PT gym. On Saturday, Day 114, he initiated wanting to leave his room by grabbing hold of his wheelchair wheel and pushing himself forward. He moved 15 feet on his own. A few days before that, he sat on a stationary bike and made full revolutions of the pedals by powering his right leg. His comprehension, memory, and increased effort to communicate reveals to us that Gabe is not a brain injury patient who will have 180-degree change in personality. Last night, Donna and I asked what video-editing program he had on his computer and he spelled out, F-I-N-A-L-C….

“Final Cut Pro?” we asked, and he signalled YES. He understands what state we are in and why, the calendar, the spelling of words, and he is beginning to gesture to tell us what he wants. Two nights ago, in regard to my going away for two weeks to visit family, he motioned “call me” without any prompts or ques. He is beginning to mouth words readily, and we can pick out the Ff and Pp and number of syllables flowing out. His will to speak also promises less of us interpreting his needs and desires through our observation and intuition.  Increased mouth, lip, and tongue movement means the trach will be out sooner rather than later because he’s using those same muscles to swallow. And right now he has nothing more tempting than pancakes, home fries, and of course, cupcakes to spur him on. In fact, Gabe passed two swallowing tests two weeks ago and this past Friday enjoyed two ounces of orange juice! He held and dipped the spoon himself.

There is a lot more to share, and I know just the woman to do it. Please check back in the next week for a holiday post and more good stories shared about the Madd Fajita. Much love, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year,

-Kierie.