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Comeback Award
The Comeback Award is presented annually
to a client of a WPTLA member who has shown rare courage and determination
in overcoming a serious disabling injury. The emphasis is on the client's
efforts in overcoming the injury, rather than on a "cure" of the disability.
WPTLA’S PAST COMEBACK
AWARD WINNERS
2000-01 Comeback Award
Winner Rebecca Chesmar.
Ms. Chesmar was a rear-seat passenger in a motor vehicle involved in a
head-on collision, which occurred in October 1994. She was ejected from the
vehicle and received multiple injuries including blunt force trauma to the
head, a fractured ankle, and a fractured pelvis. The head injuries resulted
in cognitive disability and motor skill deficits. Ms. Chesmar was
ventilator dependent until January 1995. Following that, she was required
to re-learn her basic skills. Ms. Chesmar actively pursued her
rehabilitation, to the point that she was able to return to college,
complete a degree in education and eventually obtain employment in her field
and begin work toward a master’s degree. Ms. Chesmar donated her financial
award to her church to thank its members for their help and support to her.
2001-02 Comeback Award
Winner Phillip Macri.
Mr. Macri suffered quadriplegia as a result of injuries he sustained while
diving into waves at a beach. Prior to his injury, Phillip was an
outstanding basketball player at New Castle High School and was looking
forward to a championship during his senior year. Although Phillip remains
quadriplegic and wheelchair bound, his efforts led to a productive life that
has been truly inspirational. After his injury, Phillip worked hard and was
able to return to high school and graduate with his class at New Castle High
School. He then went on to graduate from Westminster College. He
subsequently worked as a paralegal and opened a sporting goods business with
his sister, which primarily sells sporting equipment to high schools and
local teams. In addition, in appreciation for all the kindness that Phillip
received from the members of his local community, Phillip established a fund
to provide scholarships to students who have suffered a disability. In
order to raise funds for this scholarship, Phillip sponsors an annual golf
outing. The scholarship fund was the charity that Phillip had designated to
be the beneficiary of the $1,000.00 in his name.
2002-03 Comeback Award
Winner Heather Lewinski.
As a young girl, Ms. Lewinski developed a skin disorder near the left corner
of her mouth known as localized scleroderma. A Pittsburgh area surgeon to
whom she was referred recommended that the affected area be cut out and
covered with “expanded” tissue harvested from an adjacent area. The surgeon
indicated that he had done this operation many times on children. Her
parents later found out that neither this doctor nor any other doctor in the
country had ever done this surgery to treat Heather’s condition.
Additionally, the doctor indicated to Heather and her parents that the
surgery would not produce any noticeable scarring. Trusting in the doctor,
Heather had her two-part surgery in 1994. Unfortunately, the outcome was a
complete medical disaster. She was left with significant facial scarring,
and she went on to have an additional 12 surgeries between third grade and
eleventh grade in an attempt to improve her condition. The physical
suffering which she experienced throughout the course of her many surgeries
was excruciating, and the litany of teasing and taunting and loss of
childhood pleasures that she endured because of her appearance was no less
painful. Despite her circumstance, Heather graduated from high school in
2003, and entered college, studying to become a teacher of elementary-age or
special needs children. Heather chose to donate her $1,000.00 to Children’s
Hospital of Pittsburgh to purchase new toys for the children’s play area.
2003-04 Comeback Award Winner Doug Bahrenburg.
Douglas A. Bahrenburg, of Erie, PA, sustained complete lower extremity
paralysis as the result of the delayed diagnosis of a spinal hematoma
following back surgery. He endured a long and grueling period of
rehabilitation but regained the ability to walk with the use of lower leg
braces. He is still incontinent of bowel and bladder functions, and has
impaired sexual function. At the time of his disability, Doug was 27 years
old, and was working full-time as a paramedic in addition to serving as a
volunteer fireman. He has returned to work as a full-time emergency
dispatcher for Millcreek Township and works part-time as a 911 dispatcher
for Erie County. He continues to serve as a volunteer fireman in the Lake
Shore Fire Department. Despite his disability, in the aftermath of 9/11, he
went with another volunteer fireman to New York City and worked in the
rubble of the World Trade Center searching for victims. Doug’s
determination to overcome his negligently inflicted disability and to return
to as normal a life as possible serve as an inspiration to all, and
especially those who have sustained spinal cord injuries. Doug donated his
$1,000.00 award to the Lake Shore Fire Department, of Erie, of which he is a
member.
2004-05 Comeback Award
Winner Terri J. Harding-Lash
In 1989, Terri Harding-Lash, of Northeast, PA, was diagnosed with
meningococcemia, an infectious disease with a meningitis-like onset. Due to
a failure to timely treat the illness, Terri suffered septic shock requiring
doctors to amputate her left arm below the elbow, both legs below the knee
and portions of all the fingers on her right hand. Before her illness,
Terri was an otherwise healthy and active 18-year-old student at Waynesburg
College. Unwavering in her determination to lead a normal life, she
returned to her studies at Waynesburg’s hilly campus and was able to once
again bicycle and dance. She even participated in a beauty pageant. Since
graduating, Terri has volunteered as a peer consultant teaching patients how
to deal with their prosthesis; as a tutor to at-risk inner city youth; and,
as an advisor to disadvantaged women re-entering the work force. Now
married, Terri is employed as a consultant and advisor to disabled patients
at the Erie office of Three Rivers Center for Independent Living. Terri
donated her $1,000.00 award to Neighborhood Art House in Erie, PA, where she
served as a volunteer tutor.
2005-06 Comeback Award
Winner Joseph David Fleming, II
In 1994, David became ill and was found in septic shock in his bedroom by
his father. David was rushed to Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, where
he had 15 of his digits removed. David also received multiple skin grafts
to his feet, knees, elbows and ear. David spent over 10½ months in the
hospital. He was subsequently injured in an automobile accident in 1996
and tore open one of his skin grafts and fractured his left knee cap. It
took 4 surgeries to close the graft. Although David has endured over 20
surgeries, he has overcome his disability to become a productive citizen and
role model. While receiving extensive rehabilitation training, David
learned to walk without any toes and has had both feet completely
reconstructed. David went on to receive his Associate’s Degree from
Allegheny County Community College, and went back to his love, coaching
football at Central Catholic High School. Having risen to the level of
defensive coordinator, David was present when Central won two WPIAL
championships and one State championship. David married, and has a son,
Joseph David Fleming, III. David donated his $1,000.00 award to Multiple
Sclerosis in honor of his mother, Susan, who has been bed-ridden by this
terrible disease for the past twenty-two years.
2006-07 Comeback Award
Winner Amy Palmiero Winters
In 1994 as a 21-year-old avid runner and marathoner, Amy was riding her
Harley Davidson Sportster along a state road in Crawford County, where an
automobile pulled directly into her path. Although she was able to avoid
crashing, her left foot and ankle struck the rear bumper of the vehicle,
causing a severe crush injury to her left lower extremity, thereby causing
compartment syndrome. Amy’s diagnosis included a severe base fracture of
her fourth metatarsals; severe neck fractures of her second, third, fourth
and fifth metatarsals; a large vertical calcaneal fracture extending into
her posterior subtalar joint; a lateral displaced comminuted cuboid
fracture; significant soft tissue injury with severe neurological and
vascular involvement, and various related injuries. Although amputation had
initially been considered by medical personnel, over the next three years
Amy underwent approximately 25 surgical procedures including complex skin
graphs, muscle graphs and fasciotomies, open reduction and internal fixation
with the use of wires, pins, and other hardware; multiple resections of her
metatarsals; a metatarsal amputation; and ultimately a below the knee
amputation of her left leg. Since that time, Amy has achieved national and
international recognition as a word class athlete and was named this year as
a nominee for an ESPY award as top female athlete with a disability.
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