If there’s one thing Steve Bond wants to say to his church and fellow congregants, it’s “Thank you!”
A Shamong resident for 14 years, Bond now has an electronic WalkAide, which improves his walking. He has Multiple Sclerosis.
First, the Indian Mills United Methodist Church reached out to WalkAide and was told the brace would cost $2,000. It raised the money, but later discovered that would only cover the co-pay if Bond had had adequate medical insurance.
Of course, Bond’s insurance wouldn’t cover it — so the true cost for the brace was $4,850.
Undaunted, the church went back out to the community — and raised the additional money needed.
Bond, who picked up the brace recently, said the church won’t release particulars, but said there were two “big donors.”
“Who they are and how much I have no idea,” Bond said.
Married since 1997, Bond and his wife have been members of Indian Mills United Methodist Church for 10 years. While he can’t go up or down a full flight of stairs, Bond can take two or three steps thanks to the brace.
And, although he was told it would take at least two months to see an improvement, he said he already feels the difference.
Diagnosed with MS in 2004, the disease had not affected his health until last year, when he couldn’t walk anymore on his left leg.
“I can just barely get around,” Bond said. “I greatly appreciate everything my church has done and the community. I would not have been able to take this journey of learning to walk again without the assistance of our community and our church.”
Now on Social Security disability, Bond was in the heating and air conditioning industry prior to being disabled.
He said he was “very surprised and very thankful” for the brace, which he would not have been able to afford alone.
“The most challenging part is trying to get around and move,” Bond said. “Other than that, I’m fine. It takes me a lot longer to there from point A to point B than what I’m used to.”
He said he is resigned to the fact he will be in the brace for life.
“It’s not going to be a 100 percent fix, but it is going to at least get me a little bit of freedom back,” Bond said, noting there is no pain associated with his condition. “I just want to say thank you very much. It’s greatly appreciated. Their generosity and reaching out to the community to help me was very, very thoughtful — and I can’t say (that) enough.”
