A year ago today I learned some devastating news. Tamas had a bicycle accident!

Who is Tamas? He was my first love when I was a teenager; we dated for 2 years, though we kept a very good friendship after we went our separate ways. My family knew him very well; he lived in our village back in Hungary, and climbed with my friends and family members. He was a great climber, cyclist, a good friend, and now a father to a 5 year old daughter. We went through so many things together. When I moved to Montreal 13 years ago, I reconnected with his twin sister Eni, who lived just down the road from me for 3 years. We kept in touch, and not long after I arrived in Edmonton, Eni moved here too.  Her and I have known each other for 20 years. I was even a bridesmaid at her wedding a month ago.  So, both Eni and Tamas are pretty close to me and my heart!

The devastating news I received, was that this young, energetic, and very strong man, only 33 years old, was in very critical condition. On July 5, 2012, Tamas flew off his bicycle at high speed, and hit the guardrail on the side of the road, face first. For days and weeks we were praying for his survival as we were told that there was only a minor chance of his recovery. His brain damage was so intense, that the doctors give up on him and told the family that they cannot do anything, that only God can help. Weeks and then months went by and nothing happened; he was in and out of infections, pneumonia, bad cough and so on, but he was still sleeping. The doctors told us he was in a coma, then later they said it’s a waking coma. My friend Eni went home for Christmas to see her twin brother, and to her and everyone’s surprise, Tamas showed some sign of improvements. He could move his fingers, follow you with his eyes, touch your hand and stuff like that. It was great news!  Even though the doctors didn’t think much of it, the friends and family were over the moon about it with happiness.  After the winter, they moved Tamas to the country’s best rehabilitation center in Budapest. That was wonderful news, however they didn’t plan on taking him for very long to begin with, as they wanted to see if he could respond to rehabilitation treatments. We were waiting for Tamas to wake up from the coma and start his journey of recovery, but then we were told that he would never wake up; that he is in a vegetative state.  Well, that was a shock! The doctors at the center said that he will never be able to move or speak, and that his brain is damaged so much that it will not recover.

By the grace of God and a lot of help for the doctors, they let Tamas stay longer in the rehabilitation center. He was actually getting better we learned, starting to communicate by gestures, by blinking for yes and no, and so on.  Then, a couple of weeks ago we learned some great news! He started to talk! Yes, you heard that right, he said a few words, he knows his name, that he has a daughter and where he was. That is a miracle!  We are presently very hopeful that he is on the path to become better, maybe not fully, but at least better.

Why do I write about him? I want to help, but I wasn’t sure how. What can I do, other then pray and send a little money home? Well, God give me a great talent and I thought I might be able to use it somehow. His recovery will be long, very long, and for that he needs the best care possible. In Hungary, that means a lots of money. Unfortunately, due to the struggling economy and knowing his family’s situation, funds are short.  Friends of Tamas have started to accept donations for his rehabilitation, to buy nessesery things like a wheelchair, and for so many other things. And that’s where YOU can HELP too!

I’m offering my time and talent for his benefit. For two Saturdays, I will be lowering my rates, and when I mean lowering, I mean you can not expect to get that price from me at any other time. So here is how it works:

On Saturday, August 31 & Saturday, September 21, I will be at Laurier Park, from 10 am until 7 pm providing booked photography sessions. Call me to check available times.

Photography sessions can be of Family, Kids, Pets, a Couple, or to just celebrate you!  You will be photographed for at least 30 minutes, and will later l be able to see the processed photos in an online gallery where you will be able to download 6 high resolution files.  You can print those out on your own time and place.

Cost is $100 (or donate more if you like). This is a value of $600!!! ALL proceeds will become a donation for Tamas.

Please share this blog and make sure your family and friends know about this. I’m setting my goal to $1000 and if I can get more for Tamas’ recovery, than I will be extremely happy and forever grateful for the people that participate in it. Call me to book your sessions, at 780-271-5468 (please leave a message if I am unable to answer!).

Thank you.  Love,

 

Helga