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Mom says `Thank you' as son begins long journey of rehabilitation by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff 11 | Wednesday, December 11, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com An Oakville mother offers her deepest thanks to the community for helping her son on his road to recovery. Margarita Perez said it was unclear how her family was going to pay for all the rehabilitation her son, Juan Daniel Torres, 19, needed after a July 20 medical emergency left the St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Secondary School graduate in a semi-vegetative state. Torres had been out with friends, came home, spoke with a family member, ate a snack and went to bed. His mother later found him face down, near vomit and blood, gasping for air. Torres was rushed to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) and placed on life support. He had sustained an extensive brain injury due to oxygen deprivation. His prognosis was grim and treatment, expensive. The family appealed to the community first for $25,000, but then $35,000 when it was clear how much the rehabilitation process would cost. Groups like Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) and English as a Second Language (ESL) students from Oakville's Thomas Merton Centre held fundraisers. As of Tuesday (Dec. 10) more than $35,000 had been raised. "The people of Oakville were amazing. They responded with so much generosity," said Perez. "They have been supporting us with beautiful messages and supporting us so much... I wanted Torres has since been moved to a Hamilton rehabilitation centre where, Perez said, he is speaking slowly and has a certain level of understanding and recollection. "The movement of the body is still very limited, but they are working on that and they believe he may be able to recover (use of) his legs," said Perez. "One of his hands is moving." While Torres continues to impress his doctors, Perez said he still has a long journey ahead and the extent to which he can recover remains unclear. As much of the therapy Torres needs is not covered by the health-care system, Perez said people have been a great help. "I just want to say a big `thank you' to the Oakville community," she said. "The whole community has been amazing and I just wanted you all to know how I feel." Torres himself was able to thank the community in a YouTube video, which can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq_eyg_ YrII&feature=em-upload_owner#action=share. In the video, Torres states he is working to recover his life and his dreams and said the community's prayers and contributions have helped his parents stay strong and seek alternative treatments that otherwise would not have been available. Torres said his goal is to go back to university and find a way to give back one day. Margarita Perez with her son Juan Torres in hospital. | Oakville Beaver file photo The law has changed concerning your cemetery plans An important message from Glen Oaks Memorial Gardens If your surname begins with A to M and you have purchased cemetery spaces or related services, please contact us immediately regarding the new Ontario Legislation changes. people to know how he is and how much they have helped him because without the economic support from all these people, we probably would not have been able to provide all the support Juan is having. This is making a big difference for him." Perez said when the Oakville Beaver ran a story about Torres in September, he was still in a largely vegetative state at OTMH. He was taken to a hospital in London for tests, which Perez said, found Torres' brain was responding to stimuli. He seemed to recover further when his family took him home for a visit in October and he appeared to whistle to his dogs. Call 905-257-1100 by Arbor Memorial Glen Oaks Memorial Gardens & Reception Centre 3164 Ninth Line, Oakville · www.glenoaks.ca A division of Memorial Gardens Canada Limited & Arbor Memorial Services Inc. JAN 31ST GLEN EDEN REGISTER BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A 2014 @ 2014 INCLUD ES D TO SLO AY & NIGHT A PES CC RACES, , LUNCH, GAM ESS AND MU E CH MOR S, E!! FRIDAY SEASON PASS TO GLEN EDEN TO PURCHASE TICKETS VISIT WWW.OAKVILLEWINTERFEST.COM SPONSORED BY: M I LTO N O N TA R I O