Empower Will's Independence: Support His Home Accessibility!

Will Enos, a cherished friend and beloved member of the close-knit Somis community, is facing unique challenges due to a disability that has dramatically altered the course of his life. As the holiday season approaches, we have the incredible opportunity to come alongside Will and make a tangible difference in his daily life. Your contribution, no matter how big or small, has the power to transform Will's house into a place where he can truly experience independence and continue to be an active part of our wonderful community. Together, let's rally around Will and show him the love, support, and compassion that defines who we are as a church family. Please read a letter from Will’s mother, Diana.

My Son Will Enos

Dear Friends, 

On October 13, 2023, I received a call that parents hope they never receive.  My 18-year-old son, William (Will) Enos, was driving back from Phoenix to Fresno where he is a freshman at Fresno State.  He was in Phoenix assisting 4-H kids that were showing hogs at a fair and on his way back, near Coachella, he fell asleep and flipped his Ford Ranger truck three times.  He was crushed in the vehicle, he had to be extricated by the fire department and he was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center, a level 1 trauma center in Palm Springs. The person on the phone said William was in a car accident, he had broken some vertebrae, he had no sensation from the waist down, he was in stable condition, and he was going into surgery soon.  My only thought at that moment was that he was alive.

I immediately left work and headed to Palm Springs praying all the way there.  Upon arriving at the hospital, the doctor had just finished surgery and she met with our family.  William had fractured his cervical 5, and 6 vertebrae and shattered his C7.  The doctor shared a picture of the scan of his spine on her iPhone and I was in disbelief of what I was seeing.  Although I was aware that he had cervical fractures, the picture told a far worse story than I could have imagined.  The doctor said his spine was "squished" during the accident and although she was aggressive with his treatment and surgery, the most likely outcome is that he would be a paraplegic.  Then, she said "But he's only 18, this is 2023 and there are more treatments available than ever."  We learned that he would have another surgery in four to five days to insert rods and pins to stabilize his spine, he would be at the hospital for about 10 days and then he would need at least six weeks of inpatient spinal rehabilitation.   

 When we saw William for the first time in the ICU, he was intubated and we learned that his paralysis was from the chest down, he could move his arms, but his hands were almost fully paralyzed.  He was considered a quadriplegic.  He had six staples in his head from when the cab of the truck came down on his head and he had to remain intubated since cervical spinal cord injuries often affect breathing.  For two days, William communicated with us by pushing his index finger knuckle to letters of the alphabet on a piece of paper.  He was exhausted, frustrated and desperately trying to tell us what happened, how he was feeling and asking us questions.  On Sunday evening, his breathing tube was removed, and when I walked into his hospital room, he said in a raspy voice "Hi mom!" and I started to tear up.  It was like hearing him say mom for the first time.  

 The stay at Desert Regional turned into 18 days, his stay extended due to his body's inability to regulate blood pressure.  He could not sit up in bed without his blood pressure dropping to around 80/40.  Despite all his medical issues, most of the time he had an upbeat attitude, and he did everything asked of him and more.  William has a good sense of humor.  An example of his sense of humor is when he was on Facetime with his two-month-old nephew, and he told the baby that they would learn to walk together.   

 He began to have sensation in his lower body within a few days.  He would close his eyes, we would ask him to tell us which area of his legs or which toes we were touching, and he answered correctly about 70% of the time.  Unfortunately, one of the doctors told him that he would never walk again and when the same doctor tried to tell me that, I responded, "You are not God, you do not have a crystal ball and even though the odds may not be high, we believe he will walk again."  We soon learned that William places more value on gaining the use of his hands back so that he can return to college and live independently in the dorms. 

 On October 31st, William was discharged from the hospital and transported to Casa Colina Inpatient Spinal Rehabilitation in Pomona.  He has three hours of physical and occupational therapy a day plus counseling, and he meets with a chaplain regularly.  A family member is at the facility with him from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm every day of the week to ensure he is receiving the care he needs to meet his recovery goals.  He has learned how to use adaptive equipment to use his phone, eat and more.  He can partially move all his fingers on his left hand now and his fingers on his right hand are slowly beginning to work. What we have all learned is that spinal cord injury recovery is very slow and even the tiniest improvement is worth celebrating.  About two weeks ago, he was in the gym for physical therapy, the therapist was using electro stimulators on William’s leg muscles to move his legs, he had a sudden feeling he could move his left leg himself and when the electro stimulators were turned off, he tried moving his legs and they moved. The movement is not too much yet, but it’s movement and he has been told by his current doctor that he has a 10-35% chance of walking one day.   

He should be discharged from inpatient rehabilitation within a month, and he will be either discharged home and have outpatient rehabilitation or he may be accepted by the Casa Colina outpatient rehabilitation, called TLC in Pomona and if he gets housing there, he will most likely remain in Pomona for a few more weeks.  Currently, everything is up in the air while I prepare for his return home.  Thankfully my house is one story, but it does have some steps up to the front porch and exiting through the sliding glass door of his bedroom, so wheelchair ramps are necessary.   

And now, a little bit about William.  He has raised and shown hogs for Somis 4-H since he was 9 years old, and he had a hog breeding business for a few years.  His passion is sharing his knowledge and teaching other kids that are interested in raising and showing hogs, hence the reason he was in Phoenix at the livestock show.  William grew up in Somis, attended Somis School and Camarillo High and he is majoring in Agricultural Business at Fresno State.  His plan is to return to college in Fall 2024 or Spring 2025.  He is a thoughtful young man, and even when he is tired or is hurting, he always treats his caretakers with kindness and respect.  He said that now that he can move his fingers more, it’s easier for him to put his hands together in prayer and that is very important to him.

Sincerely,

Diana Enos