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INSIDE Letters
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VOLUME 36, NUMBER 43 • OCTOBER 22, 2013
The long road to recovery
Halloween Dance
Saturday Oct. 26th at 7:30 pm
Carole Wallace tells the story of her life after last year’s boat accident By Cali Bagby
Editor of the Weekly
An advertising supplement of the Islands’ Weekly
$13/adult $7/youth. Tickets: PSR, Lopez Book Shop & online @ lopezcenter.org
Joe Thornton for Lopez School Board Director #1
If elected to represent you, I will: * Encourage people with differing views to participate in working committees. * Support board meetings that are concise and encourage participation from all board members and attendees. * Support a fiscally responsible financial planning process based upon needs, not excesses.
More than one year ago, Carole Wallace’s life was changed forever. Carole was seriously injured last fall after a boat fell on her near her property on Swift Bay. But even as disaster struck Carole said she felt the presence of her faith. “On the night of the accident, I looked up into the sky and thought everything is going to be okay,” she said. The boat broke her third lumbar in her lower back and bruised her spinal cord, but it did not sever the spine. Finding out that she was not paralyzed after the accident was a miracle for friends and family. “The hospital staff calls her
Powerhouse Wallace,” said close friend Tammy Pal several days after the accident in an interview with the Weekly. “She is strong mentally and physically, refusing to let in any negative thoughts come in.” Carole calls the last year a journey that started when the 42-foot boat was blown onto the nearby bay on Oct. 3, 2012 and was grounded. Carole’s husband David Wallace called the owner, his uncle Bob Graves, who drove up the next day from his home in Eugene, Ore. They immediately attempted to push the boat into deeper waters, but were unsuccessful in moving the 16-ton vessel. So the next morning, at 1 a.m., when a higher tide appeared, Graves decided to
Paid by the Committee to elect Joe Thornton, 856 Shark Reef Rd., 360-468-3022
Paul Berg for Lopez Island School Board Director 4
Vote to Address:
* More responsible approach to fiscal needs * Promote progress review without negative judgment * Listed to and work with the community at large
start digging a channel in hopes of pushing the boat out. “I couldn’t let him do it by himself so I went out too,” David told the Weekly last year. “And Carole wanted to help. I told her she should stay in bed, but she said she could at least hold a flashlight.” David recalled that they all started digging in the wet sand that was covered with seaweed. Carole and Graves were digging near the bow, when all of a sudden the boat rolled over onto them. Carole said the shift could have been due to the digging and the tide coming in under the sand. The two opposing catch lines’ anchors could have also shifted in the sand. Carole was caught under the boat, her back and legs practically closed together. Graves’ hips were crushed by the boat. An account was set up almost immediately at
Islanders Bank in Carole’s name to help provide medical and logistical expenses. “I’m so grateful for all the community support,” she said. “So many people were generous not just with money, but sending letters of support.” Graves has fully recovered from injuries to his pelvis. He has been able to return to his karate, said David. And after initially fearing that Carole would be paralyzed because of her injuries, the Wallaces were happy to find that she had some mobility in her lower body. Now her spine has pins fusing it back together. She also has leg braces that help her to walk. Her favorite place to take a stroll is at the grocery store where the aisles are wide, the ground is flat and there are plenty of familiar faces encouraging her on. “Walking is one of the best See Recovery, page 4
Need help with Medicare Advantage or prescription drug coverage during Open Enrollment ? Have questions about Medicare in general? Call your local SHIBA (Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisor) volunteer, Mac Langford, at 468-4015 Sponsored by SHIBA, a free and unbiased service of the:
Your local SHIBA sponsor:
Paid by the Committee for Leadership Change 361 Port Stanley Rd., 360-468-4414
Bob
Porter Port for
of Lopez
Paid for by the committee to elect Bob Porter. Brian Matalon, Barbara Thomas, Aaron Dye, Charlie Walker, Kathy Keller, Tom Pal and Larry Hendel 2331 Bakerview Rd., Lopez Island, WA • (360) 468-3004