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Friends to help man get around

A golf benefit at his former high school will help pay for a special van for Thomas Chiarello, who was injured a year ago and left paralyzed from the waist down.

By MATTHEW WASSERMAN
Published September 23, 2005

SPRING HILL - Thomas Chiarello was injured last Sept. 27 while cleaning up debris in Spring Hill from Hurricane Jeanne.

"I was working for a tree service company, and was literally catapulted over a Bobcat machine," Thomas said. "I flew from the back of it over into the claw and landed on my head and back."

The fall broke his neck and two vertebrae, fractured his arm and trampled his spine, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

Since then, he has been confined to his home, except for his daily trips to the hospital and rehab clinics.

"I haven't done anything in the past year," Thomas said. "I can't get out of the house. I'm always either in the (wheelchair) or the bed."

It's a distant life from the one Thomas lived when he was a star offensive tackle for Springstead High School, or when he attended Pasco Hernando Community College with the intention of pursuing business administration at the University of Central Florida.

But he is slowly moving back toward something like his former existence. After the injury, he couldn't move at all. Now he has almost full movement of his upper body. He is taking physical therapy to get the bottom half working.

"It's been a long road so far," said Guido Chiarello, his father and a teacher at Springstead High School. "He's made monumental strides. There is no doubt in my mind he will walk again. If anybody is going to walk, Thomas is going to walk."

But until that day comes, Thomas is going to drive. On Saturday, the 2005 Springstead football team is holding a golf scramble to benefit Thomas. The event is to help pay for a special van with hand controls that will allow Thomas to do many of the things most 24-year-old men take for granted.

"It will be nice just to go to the beach," Thomas said. "I want to go to my relatives' houses, see my friends from Springstead and just get out of the house."

The van that will make this possible will cost the Chiarellos about $43,000.

"We've taken out a loan for it," Guido said. "But there are so many other bills along with that."

The other bills include hospital and rehabilitation payments, and the money they are still paying for the transportation to and from doctor visits and rehab appointments.

"We went to the hospital in Tampa every day for three months," Guido said. "It's about 130 miles round trip. It cost us a fortune."

Last year, the Springstead High football team held a small fundraiser to help offset those costs. Now as bills keep mounting and new equipment is needed to help Thomas, the football team and coach Bill Vonada are getting together again on a larger scale.

"We really just want to do what we can for Thomas," Vonada said. "When he was on the team he was a great, fun-loving guy. He is the kind of guy you just love having around."

The two-person golf scramble will have a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. at Spring Hill Golf Course. The cost of $45 per person includes green fees, cart and the chance to win prizes. All money raised will go toward the purchase of Thomas' van. The event is being organized by Vonada and marketed by his Sports Entertainment and Recreation Marketing class and the 2005 football team.

"The class has developed fliers and is out there getting businesses involved with it," Vonada said. "And the football team is spreading the word at our games and around the community."

Many of Vonada's students are football players who chose his class because they are sports enthusiasts. So the injury of a former player touches a soft spot.

"I think it's great that the payoff will help his disabilities and equipment funds," said Adam Bates, an 11th-grader in Vonada's class. "I'm trying to help by bringing in people and getting sponsors for some of the holes. So far I've done about $700 worth of work."

Thomas said that he can't say thank you enough for the generosity everyone has shown him.

"It's so great," Thomas said. "I appreciate everything everybody has done for me. There's a whole big list of people who have helped us and I really thank all of them. It has made things a lot easier on my family."

Guido said that, more than anything, it is the emotional support they have all received that has made the difference.

"It's not just monetary help that we have gotten," Guido said. "People have been there to support Thomas mentally and emotionally. To see that is humbling."

If all goes well, Thomas should have the van in about a month.

"It's going to be unbelievable," Guido said. "To be able to see him go and visit his relatives. I can't put it into words, but it will be a moving experience."

For information regarding the golf scramble, contact Vonada at 797-7010 ext. 251.

[Last modified September 23, 2005, 02:50:29]