Friends help man fight long-distance health battle

By Jennifer Hogan / Special to The Citizen

Saturday, February 9, 2008 11:05 PM EST

AUBURN - Having to be hundreds of miles away from your child is a struggle for any mother. But when that child is also fighting for his life it can be sheer torture.
Unfortunately, Dawn Perrault, of Weedsport, knows this all too well.

In September, her son, Brandon Perrault, fell from a ladder while working for a local roofing company. The fall crushed his spine, leaving the 21-year-old a quadriplegic.

For some time, Brandon was able to be at home with his family, but in December he suffered setbacks that required him to be hospitalized once again.

“He spent a month in upstate medical,” Dawn said during a pasta dinner benefit to assist the family in travel and health expenses, at the Ukrainian National Club in Auburn Saturday. “He was moved to Shepherd Center, in Georgia on January 21.”

The Shepherd Center, in Atlanta, Ga., is a catastrophic hospital and rehabilitation center.

Brandon has been receiving extensive rehabilitation there and will be there until at least March.

“My sister lives less than 20 miles from the hospital where Brandon is,” Dawn said. “That is the only reason that I can feel OK about him being so far away.”

Dawn's parents are living, temporarily, near Brandon's hospital.

Dawn, her son Ethan Perrault, 17, and daughter, Jocelyn Perrault, 14, are hoping to be able to visit Brandon this month during the school winter recess.

“We haven't been able to see him at all since he left,” she said. “We all would really like to be with him.”

Ethan is also recovering from a serious accident and suffers from short memory loss, according to Dawn.

Dawn said that she has been awed by the care and generosity from so many people during the family's struggles.

“We are so thankful for everything,” she said. “People have been so wonderful. Both people we know and total strangers. It means so much to our family.”

Dawn has been keeping a blog to update everyone on Brandon's progress.

To learn more

Donations may be sent to: Brandon Perrault Fund, PO Box 902 Weedsport, NY 13116; or by contacting Dawn Perrault at 282-7797 or Jim Wiers at 868-6684

For updates on Brandon's Progress, visit http://brandonupdate.blogspot.com

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