VANCOUVER – A Surrey father of two will be home for Christmas for a few days, with his family after being in hospital for the past eight months.
Richard ‘Chuckie’ Smith, 31, was in a snowmobile accident in April near Whistler. His wife Drea Trishman says Smith is “doing alright”, but he is still non-responsive and in a minimal conscious state.
However, the family has been able to arrange for Smith to come home for Christmas. “He’s very excited about Christmas,” says Trishman. His family is also coming down from Kamloops for the holidays.
“The kids are overjoyed,” adds Trishman. “They keep seeing the bed there and saying ‘daddy! daddy!'”
After Christmas, Smith will be going back to the Acquired Brain Injury Program in Surrey. Since the accident Trishman says Smith gets physiotherapy treatments five times a week, is working with a world-renowned neuroscientist and has been undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatments.
But Trishman hopes to raise enough money to bring her husband home every weekend in the new year. “We miss him terribly and we all want him home so badly,” she says.
She lost her job at the end of October and there is a lot of equipment that needs to be purchased and modifications that need to be done to their home.
Trishman also wants to bring attention to the fact that people should have a will in place, life insurance and power of attorney as life can change in an instant.
“He loved the sport, he was experienced so it can happen to anyone,” says Trishman. “He had all his gear, he wasn’t out of bounds, it was a perfect day; no one can figure out what happened.”
For now the family is focusing on Christmas and raising money to support Smith in his recovery. Anyone can follow their progress on the Facebook page.
They are also holding a fundraiser on Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Shark Club, 20169 88 Avenue Langley. Call 604-513-8600 for more information.
Anyone with donations for the fundraiser can deliver them to:
Roger Scarr @
Trans Pacific Hardware
19355 Enterprise Way
Surrey, BC V3S 6J8
604-530-0209
Or pickup can be arranged.
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