Success Stories

Drew 

Drew was born in Roseville California in 1960. While still an infant, the family moved to San Jose California where his machinist father accepted a new job.

Drew grew up in San Jose and at school he was a good student. In his last year of high school, Drew started having disabling headaches. Even though the headaches grew worse, Drew persevered and graduated.

After graduation, his headaches prevented him from going to college or working full time.

In 1985, at the age of twenty five, after more severe headaches and the onset of epilepsy, Drew was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.

While living in a nursing home, Drew grew increasingly frustrated over wanting to live independently. Through the help of The Bridge of Hope Foundation, Drew finally realized his dream of living independently.

Drew is much happier in his new situation. With the help of a social worker who calls on him weekly, he is now able to do many things on his own. He now reads books, goes to movies and the library, shops and does volunteer work at his church.

Kathy

Twelve years ago Kathy was in a terrible automobile accident. She almost died and was in a coma for over eleven months. Kathy is very bright and articulate. Although the accident left her with traumatic brain injury, she exudes cheerfulness and enthusiasm.

Kathy keeps very busy. She has a sheriff friend who frequently drives her from the nursing home to different grade schools where she shares her story with students. Kathy says, "my great joy is doing all I can to make a positive difference in the lives of children. I tell them how being on drugs caused my accident and how that robbed me of so much. I want to save them from making the mistake I did of using drugs."

Kathyâs father was a nuclear physicist and her mother owned an art gallery. She excelled in high school and graduated early. She loved animals as a youth and that led to her involvement with riding and showing horses. She also became a co-owner of several dog training clinics. For a number of years before her accident she worked as a professional deep sea sunken treasure diver with a world famous ocean archaeologist treasure hunter. She was involved in establishing three different Marine Sunken Treasure Museums.

Our family of nursing home resident friends comes from all walks of life. Whether they have been house wives, lawyers, pilots, physicians, university professors, carpenters or whatever, each are unique, interesting and valuable individuals. What a joy and privilege it is to share with these wonderful people!