| By Sharmain GraingerAs a young boy Romeo Maklingham, his parents and siblings vacated their Grove, East BankA wheelchair-bound Romeo MaklinghamDemerara home and headed to the United States to embrace ‘the American Dream’. Ideally this notion (The American Dream) speaks to abundant opportunities that lead to inevitable success.And it was this very direction that Maklingham was keenly eyeing when he became an adult and had a family of his own.He certainly had the passion and the requisite drive to do whatever was necessary to ensure that his wife Jenny and children could live a comfortable life. But even as he strove to make ends meet, his first-born daughter, Allison, developed brain cancer and eventually passed away. The dilemma impacted the family in more ways than imaginable. There was no way of masking the financial and emotional after effects. But being an optimist, Maklingham with the support of his wife and other family members soldiered on.Today Maklingham and his wife are parents to two other children, four-year-old Haley and six-month-old Mason. But tragically misfortune has continued to follow this young man who is convinced that “I have encountered more heartache than the average young man.”From all indications, his crystal clear vision,Wholesale Authentic NFL Jerseys, coupled with his exuberance was not enough to spare him from yet another unfortunate occurrence in his life.At just 33 years of age,Brett Hull Red Wings Jersey, Maklingham today is unable to cater to the well being of his young family. The father of two was the victim of a freak accident which occurred in the month of August leaving him with a shattered spine and several broken bones.He was busy earning an honest living, which saw him keenly undertaking a landscaping project,Jerseys From China, when misfortune struck. It took on the form of a 30-foot fall that rattled his entire body leaving him paralysed from the waist down. He is currently unable to do much for himself and is therefore heavilyAbove: Romeo his wife and children in happier times. Below: Romeo (at left) with other family members.reliant on family members, especially his wife.Maklingham constantly reminisces on a time when he was a very active and able-bodied person, with an eagerness for understanding and executing handyman tasks. This caused him to have an open mind that fully embraced the notion that “whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”With fervent determination he was able to eventually set up his own contracting firm in Florida. The vision to build a better future for his family was definitely reachable. However,Wholesale NFL China Jerseys, the accident he endured has proven to a major obstacle that has hindered him from swiftly realising his goal.“Not only can I not run and play with my children, but I cannot do the laborious work which I was doing and loved,” said the wheelchair-bound Maklingham. He however sees his current situation as a temporary setback.“I still have the drive and determination to move forward, as God has given me a chance. I require special equipment to help me transfer from one place to another, as the doctors’ prognosis is that I would never walk again,” Maklingham has noted.Although faced with a situation, which his insurance will not cover, the young man is still optimistic that he will be able to find a solution to his existing condition – spinal cord injury.His family including his siblings: Stephen, Cindy and Nadine, are all working together with other concerned persons to help alleviate Maklingham’s dilemma.According to Cindy, during a telephone conversation with this publication, the family is currently looking at possible spinal cord treatment that could be done at a facility in Mexico, at a cost of US$50,Cheap NFL Jerseys,000. It is hoped that with the needed treatment, Maklingham will one day be able to walk again and to live his dream.However, based on information that the family has been able to acquire, the facility only caters to one new client per month. As such,Jerseys From China, Cindy disclosed that they are also looking at other options in Holland and the United Kingdom, where the treatment will attract similar costs.So far the family has only been able to raise about US$5,000 with the support of some Good Samaritans. But since they are hoping to secure the full sum in order to have a date booked for Maklingham’s treatment by March of next year, Cindy spoke of plans to have a fundraising activity.Maklingham is therefore appealing to kind-hearted persons to support him in any small way. “I am left with my hands tied for help; please help me raise the money so I can afford all of the equipment required for me to move around. I am reaching out for help, so I can transport and continue to contribute to my society. I thank you for taking the time to hear my story, and I would be eternally grateful for any assistance I can receive,” is Maklingham’s plea.Persons wishing to support this young man can do so by visiting a website that was setup to help solicit funds for him (http://www.gofundme.com/RomeoFoundation) or contact his family members on telephone numbers: 863-242-5535 and 201-230-6916. |
