A Ventilator for Matt
It started simply enough a Diveheart Class / San Diego Adaptive Scuba Diving
We entered the class room, and filled the paper work out Liability releases, Medical statements. the typical things that any dive class would have to fill out , copy of dive card, everything you would expect to do, we gave a overview of the class explaining how diving with disabilities is only limited to the person with the disabilities.
Soon we were watching Philip Cousteau in Freedom in Depth we watched the video’s and discussed the awesome courage, of those persons that endure the lemons that they have received in their lives and have made some of the sweetest lemon aid ever. Then all of a sudden Matt Johnston’s video came on and the room became silent,
after the video Jim Elliot founder of Diveheart, told the students about a project that Northwestern University is working on. its kind of a ventilator scuba rig. After seeing Matt on the video of the TODAY show they wanted to make a ventilator that can be attached to the dive tanks and allow Matt to dive to a deeper level,(Oh did I tell you that Matt Johnston, has what they call Duchenne’s Muscular Dystroyphy and is a Quadriplegic wheel chair bound).
This prototype will cost about 20,000.00 Dollars, Well this was all that one student had to hear, Giles (a student in the class that not only survived a disabling auto crash and spinal cord injury but, has recovered to approximately 95% of his pre-accident status pipes up and say’s ” If all it is going to take is money lets find 9 more people as crazy as I am” Without a moments hesitation Giles writes a check for 2000.00 (two thousand dollars) hands it to Jim Elliott and again says I’ll eat noodles for the next month won’t I” This is were it really became not about the training in the class but making a incredible change in the life of one human being by the generosity of another that did not know anything about Matt until this class, excitement took over planning for the 30 days became the focus. We launched what we are calling The Giles Project ( For Obvious reason) . to raise 20K over the next 30 days, and give that 20K to Diveheart and Matt Johnston so he can realize his dream. In a bold statement that was taken onboard by everyone there Giles, David, Evelyn, Jim and myself decided we were going to raise the Twenty Thousand Dollars. within the next 30 days. there was no discussion no negative thoughts, no negative statements about not enough time nothing, just positive actions and statement’s like”tell Matt to get his DUI dry suit out he is heading to deeper water”.
A call to action to those that may read this.
Check out Diveheart at www.diveheart.org, give Al’s diving a call toll free for more information @ (877) 213-2983 or simply give a donation as little as a dollar is good but please (No cash) any thing you may want to send Please send by check Made out to Diveheart, in the memo section be sure to say apply to the Giles Project.
Assisting with the donning of a wet suite for a quadriplegic
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Al’s Diving
PA 177
2514 Jamacha Road #502
El Cajon, CA 92019
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