SoundWave band offers hand to supporter
BY PAM BRANNON Special to the News news@gulfbreezenews.com

Pam Brannon/Gulf Breeze News Heather and Rich Freeman (left) have received lots of help from both the Gulf Breeze High Band Boosters, led by president Joyce Hill (standing, center) and Boy Scout Troop 106, represented by Beth Kaizer (standing, far right).

When a 'big white truck' came across the center line and hit Heather Freeman's van head-on in April she discovered real quick how life can be turned upside down in the blink of an eye.

The Freeman family also discovered that when you live in a tight-knit community like Gulf Breeze, 'we are family' is not just a recruiting phrase for community service groups.

"It has been just incredible what the Scouts and Gulf Breeze High Band Boosters have done for us, Heather said. "We cannot say 'thank you' enough."

The crash has left Heather not able to get out of bed without help, and by using a lift or slide board. When out of bed, she is still wheelchair bound. She is still not allowed to put weight on either leg. She said her doctors say she will have "some disability" the rest of her life -- they are just not sure yet how much.

Heather Freeman was on her way home one Friday afternoon from running errands in Pensacola for a Gulf Breeze High Band Booster fundraiser. "I suddenly saw this big white truck side-swipe the car in front of me and then all of a sudden I saw him coming straight at me. There was no place off the road to go," she said.

She had her seat belt on, but it did not hold her in the driver's seat. "The air bag on the passenger side deployed, but not the driver's air bag. They told me if my seat belt had held me in place of if my air bag had deployed, I would have been killed," Heather said.

She was laying in the passenger seat with her legs pinned under the dash - "with the engine in my lap," she said. The truck had pushed the transmission and engine of Heather's van into the fire wall and pinned her so she could not get free without Jaws of Life.

Word spread fast through the ranks of Gulf Breeze High Band Boosters and the Boy Scouts. The Freemans are active in both groups, and were to be involved in two fundraiser that evening - a spaghetti supper and Relay for Life.

Heather's husband Rich called Joyce Hill, Band Booster president, to tell her they would not be able to be at the spaghetti supper because of the crash.

"My mind went into overdrive trying to figure out how to help with our network. I knew that if this had been anyone else, the Freemans would be the first in line to help - so we needed to help them now," Hill said. The Band Director said to send emails to the 125 member band and boosters.

"The immediate response was overwhelming," Hill said.

Beth Kaizen of Boy Scout Troop 106 said it was some Scouts at Relay for Life that first had the idea that 'something must be wrong' at the Freeman house and insisted someone call.

"They kept saying the Freeman boys would NEVER miss a Relay for Life. As soon as the word spread about what had happened, all our families wanted to know what to do to help," she said.

"The Freemans have been working with the Scouts for five years - Heather has served as secretary, and Rich assistant Scoutmaster. They have always been willing to do whatever is needed to help and to volunteer for the big jobs. We all felt like this was our chance to give back to them."

Some of the Scouts' dads built a wheelchair ramp at the Freemans' home. Scout families signed up to start bringing meals.

The Band Boosters also signed up to bring meals. "I knew so much food would be a problem to use and keep, so I started asking about a freezer. One person had one in their garage, still plugged in but not in use, so they donated that," Kaizen said.

The crashed van was Freemans' only personal transportation. One Band Booster had a mini-van they had not sold yet, and donated that to the family. "I came to tell Heather at the hospital, and we found out real quick that ICU does NOT have Kleenex!" she said.

After week in the hospital Heather came home to a hospital bed in the living room and a machine to lift her from bed to wheelchair, and visits from physical therapists. But getting home was a challenge, since the doctors insisted she go by ambulance, and that was a $500 cost. Another email went out.

"I had forgotten one of the band boosters owns an ambulance service -- Debra Roche of Lifeguard. She immediately called Heather and said she would get her home."

"It really is like one big family. It is unbelievable the help people have given us. And I am determined I will do my job this year running the concession stand at games -- even if it is from a wheelchair!" Heather said.