Bobby. Latest news!!

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED PRAYERS AND SUPPORT - PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING. Bobby's sister Laura & I spoke on Monday evening after Billy and I returned from Ohio spending the weekend with Bobby. We agreed the information of Bobby's condition should come directly from his family. Laura, Bobby's sister and her husband Chuck received a phone call of the tragedy that struck Bobby on Tuesday October 10th. They prepared for there journey driving from Colorado Springs, CO to Columbus, Ohio. After spending several days, they then drove to Sugar Land, Texas (Houston) to tell our son, Billy (8) and myself of this horrible accident arriving the evening of Wednesday, October 18th. I then made arrangements for our son and I to fly out Friday, October 20th arriving the Trauma unit at Grant not knowing what to expect. I walked in and said "Bobby (41), what in the world have we done" his eyes opened and he looked right at me. Yes, the x-wife. (racing divorced us and racing put us back together) I told him Billy was with me and then Billy said "Dad you one that race on Saturday night now we have to win this race pal, you know I'm your my best buddy" and he looked right at him, squeezed our hands and had small tear drops on each eye. Saturday,October 21st we transferred Bobby to Select Specialty Hospital-Columbus a/k/a Victorian Village (above) to the stable ICU unit. He was transferred with 28% oxygen, pretty much breathing on his own with a trach and feeding tube. In spending extensive time with Bobby, he followed all of my commands and they are as follows: blinked twice, opened mouth, squeezed hands, picked right arm up and crossed his chest, lifted left leg up and down, lifted three fingers individually on left hand, picked left hand up to rub left side of his face, watched Billy hang up Superman on the wall at the foot of his bed, turned his head from side to side for Lita (my friend to help with Billy), picked his nose with his left finger and gave me a few dirty looks, but THANKFUL, go figure. It was AMAZING! Sunday night, when we went for our last visit he stayed awake looking at each one of us following all three of our commands for a total of 50 min. He only closed his eyes once and it was for about 1-2 sec. I received a call yesterday from his therapist who met on Monday to evaluate Bobby and begin therapy on Tuesday. They had him to the edge of the bed on Tuesday. He will be receiving physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy 1 x per day M-F. I plan to go out within the next week or so for at least a week or two pending arrangements for our son Billy, to work with Bobby and quicken his recovery. I believe Laura & her family will be traveling the following 2-3 weeks thereafter so he has family with him for stimulation and quicker recovery. There also will be a Texas account set up for Billy and I as well as a Colorado Springs account for Laura & her family. As of Monday evening, I believe Laura will be contacing Kym Yaeger (I can't personally THANK YOU enough) requesting both paid and pending funds be transferred to the Colorado Springs account for direct family access. They will be used for Billy and myself as well as Laura and her family to travel to and from Ohio and prepare to flight Bobby back to Colorado Springs ($20,000.00 insurance will not pay for liability purposes because Trauma team is required to be onboard) when he becomes stable enough. (approximately less than 3 mos is what they told me) With God, Prayers and Miracles on our side I believe Bobby will walk out of Columbus, Ohio rehab facility if I have anything to do with it because I know him well and working in a health club for the most part of his life, no drinking and no drugs he has his health on his side with GOD above. The Richards and Hopper family DEEPLY AND SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS, PRAYERS, CONTRIBUTIONS AND DONATIONS. WE CAN ALL DO THIS TOGETHER. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS - Rhonda & Billy Richards, Laura & Chuck Hopper and Family