Perhaps you have heard of Steve Sennett. Maybe you know him. He’s 33, a born-and-brought-up South Bostonian, who most recently lived on East Second Street. Steve is a devoted craftsman, too – a member for the past 15 years of Local 17, Sheet Metal Workers. He’s a hard worker, well fitted for a craftsman’s life in the booming construction scene in and around Boston. In his spare time, Steve enjoys camping – he’s an active and enthusiastic outdoorsman.
On Sunday, June 26 – an even two months ago as you are reading this issue of South Boston Online – Steve suffered a violent, near-fatal automobile accident in New Hampshire’s White Mountains near Sculptured Rocks. He was returning from the outdoor scenes he loved to the craft work he had devoted his working life to in Boston. The car crash that almost claimed him ended those two key parts of his life.
Steve remembers little about the accident itself. There’s a vague memory of the med flight crew talking about what they could do to help him make it, along with a dim recall of the sound of the chopper’s rotor blades. He awakened two days later. And there was no doubt of the severity of his injury – a severed spinal cord in the C5-C7 vertebral area, leaving Steve able to move only his head and his arms. At this time, he also requires feeding and breathing tubes.
But there’s also progress to report – a lot of it. The med flight took Steve to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Trauma Center in Hanover, New Hampshire, where their systems, treatment, and caring personnel restored him to life (literally). After a month, he was brought down to the world-renowned Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Charlestown, where he is now undergoing a menu of highly sophisticated therapies. Steve has been told he can expect to leave Spaulding sometime late in September.
An important part of this progress is human. Steve’s loving mother, Karen Casey, and his step-father Bruce, plan to bring Steve to their home in Whitman. They will take responsibility for his long-term care, along with all of its extensive financial challenges. Steve himself is incredibly optimistic about his future (just check out that smile). Despite his injuries and the many unknown complications to come, he is still an extraordinarily strong, good natured young man with a great love of life. He describes the challenge of living normally, and concludes, “How easily we take simple things for granted … but I have to keep a positive attitude.” Amen to that.
As you can imagine, Steve and his family can use a helping hand. Their Whitman home will need many modifications for handicapped accessibility. Expensive therapeutic equipment will soon be required. The biggest item of all will be a handicap-fitted van to transport Steve to Spaulding’s facility and to the many other programs that are available for him. You can support Steve via The Steven Sennett Fund and crowdfunding. Just log onto GoFundMe and follow the prompts from there.
The First Steven Sennett Golf Tournament (soon to become “Annual”) is coming up on Saturday, October 1, at the Rockland Golf Course (shotgun start at 2 p.m., followed by an evening banquet). That will be soon after Steve gets out of Spaulding. What better way to celebrate Steve’s homecoming than taking part? You aren’t a golfer? Then plan to attend the gala fundraising banquet that evening. Tickets are going fast, but there’s an important way you can help – attractive raffle items and/or services are still needed. If you are a South Boston enterprise or new business, please consider donating an in-kind item.
More to follow about this event. Thank you in advance.
The Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, where Steve Sennett will complete the first phases of his in-depth rehabilitation in September.
