During his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, Romy Camargo’s patrol was ambushed. A sniper’s bullet changed the life of this decorated war veteran and his family. Now, with help from Toyota, Camargo, his family and a strong team of supporters are forever changing the lives of paraplegics and quadriplegics across the country.
Camargo and his wife, Gaby, have opened the doors to Stay In Step, a new, non-profit recovery center dedicated to helping spinal-cord injury (SCI) patients take a step forward toward recovery. This groundbreaking facility offers treatment, rehabilitation and support services to veterans and civilians in Tampa, Fla.
Toyota donated $300,000 in last-mile funding to help the facility reach its $750,000 fundraising goal and open its doors. At the grand opening June 20, Toyota Motor North America Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Simon Nagata also presented Stay In Step with a wheelchair-accessible 2015 Toyota Sienna minivan.
“Supporting Stay In Step is aligned with Toyota’s corporate vision to lead the way to the future of mobility and enrich lives around the world with the safest and most responsible ways of moving people,” Nagata said. “Toyota is proud to support Stay In Step and the tremendous work of Romy and Gaby.”
By combining intense strength and conditioning workouts with a focus on the natural movements and weight of the body, Stay In Step will use emerging therapies and a “never quit” attitude to help patients and their families.
“Stay In Step is dedicated to providing cutting edge physical rehabilitation services and including the much needed tools to win the mental game,” Gaby Camargo said. “We want to create an environment for patients to support one another, share stories and give encouragement, and offer some relief from the intense daily schedule. Stay In Step provides a place of comfort, relaxation and shares a sense of family.”
That sense of family was in full force June 20, when the Camargos cut a long resistance band to open the center. They were surrounded by Nagata, Lt. Gen. Martin Steele, Lt. Col. Scott Mann and other supporters.
For Toyota, the support and interest in Stay In Step goes beyond the donations.
“We are applying the strength and expertise of Toyota’s engineering and robotics to the challenges faced by those injured in service to this country,” Nagata said. “Toyota’s partner robots are being developed to assist people in their everyday activities.
“By sharing this technology, we hope to serve the mobility needs of veterans and people around the world.”
The Stay In Step story began in 2008 when Romy was shot. He spent 18 months of intensive inpatient care before he was finally able to leave the hospital, in a wheelchair. Romy and Gaby drove twice a week from their Tampa home to Orlando for treatment.
Now, there is a center in Tampa that can treat Romy and other SCI patients in the community, helping them continue on their road to recovery. Tampa is home to the busiest polytrauma unit in the nation at the James A. Haley VA Medical Center. The Haley polytrauma unit treats the most severely injured veterans while they are in the hospital.
“With everyone’s support, we have built up a center that’s going to impact so many lives,” Romy Camargo said. “Gaby said that we could do this – that we could open up this center in Tampa. And now it’s a reality.”
About Stay In Step
Founded by Romy and Gaby Camargo, Stay In Step is a Step Forward Toward Recovery. This groundbreaking facility offers treatment, rehabilitation and support services to veterans and civilians with spinal cord injuries. By combining intense strength and conditioning workouts with a focus on the natural movements and weight of the body, Stay In Step uses emerging therapies and a “never quit” attitude to help quadriplegics, paraplegics and their families across the United States take a step forward towards recovery. Additional information about Stay In Step is available at www.stayinstep.org.
On May 14, 2016, was another typical day of May running errands and getting the house together for family that was coming to town in just a few days. Early in the afternoon while shopping, I remember my cell phone ringing and picking up the phone just like I have done 1 million times before. Although I remember the phone call being just a brief few seconds, I barely remember the exact wording that was Said on the other end. The only thing I remember is hearing that my husband was in an accident and sustained some life-threatening injuries. All I remember is hearing that he will be at my local hospital in the next few minutes.
ReplyDeleteI left the store immediately frantically driving to get to the hospital. As any loving individual would do, I focused on everything that we've been through both good and bad times. I said prayers and just wanted him to be okay. The angst and anxiety that built up inside of me was extremely overwhelming. I remember trying to hide back tears and trying to keep a stern face all the same time. Emotions came in like 10 foot waves. I kept my composure long enough to make it to the hospital parking lot. As I was running through the ER doors, I remember tears streaming down my face as I Said my husband's name and asking where he was.
Weeks passed as I fully came to understand that my husband sustained a cervical spinal cord injury and that his life would be forever changed. I wasn't worried about the changes, just as long as I knew that he was coming out the hospital, I knew we would figure out the rest. Approximately six months went by and he came up to his hospital release date. This happened to be the second-most overwhelming experience for both him and I. We honestly didn't know what we were in for and how everything would work but our community rallied around us and we were able to make it through our daily activities, insurance, nursing care and have our friends and family assist wherever they could.
My husband's one year anniversary date is just around the corner. This is the first time that I started to write openly about what had happened and how he is doing to date. Now that we are out of the acute phase and he is making tremendous progress, I will start writing more about his daily activities.
The one thing that I would like to touch upon is a facility down in Palm Beach County named Center for Neuro Recovery. Because of fundraising and the community getting together, we were able to move to Palm Beach County so that he can work aggressively three hours a day five days a week to make tremendous progress after he sustained a spinal cord injury. We are now at the facility for six months and my husband is not only moving his legs again, but he is able to take steps again for the first time. Not only is this veteran seizing the day with mental fortitude, strength, persistence and a positive mentality, but all the other clients that work alongside him that are doing the same. The equipment is amazing and so is the staff that work tirelessly to help make a difference.
Although his journey is in the infancy stages, I am so proud of my husband and his dedication to his recovery just like his years in the service. I now have a renewed sense of strength myself and can't wait to see what the future holds.
You can see a little bit about his progress here.
http://www.centerforneurorecovery.com/testimonials/
I will start to keep everyone updated as we proceed forward. I wish everyone all the best who sustain such a life-threatening spinal injury.
Karen