Angella Whitton

The story of Angella's family is like many in the construction trades industry. Her younger brother William has been in the HVAC industry for about eight years. He is currently employed with Milestone Electric in their new HVAC service division. Her brother in law Tribune has been employed as an electrician for the past eight years, while her sister Julia (Tribune's wife) has worked for the past four years as an apprentice electrician, getting ready for her upcoming journeymen test. Julia's 17-year-old son David is planning on following his uncle into the HVAC industry. Angella has a degree from Dallas Baptist University in psychology/Christian ministries and worked as a counselor for the disciples of Christ. On Sunday, August 24, 2014 she and her husband Ruben were returning to their home in Rowlett, Texas in their Toyota Corolla.

The pickup was driving the wrong way, and the driver who was not hurt, was jailed on a count of intoxication assault. Incredibly, her husband was not seriously injured, but Angella suffered a C-5 spinal cord injury, paralyzed from the waist down, losing functionality in her fingers. Following her initial hospitalization, she moved to Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation where she began her long road to recovery. Angella did not have insurance at the time of the accident and is now on Social Security disability and Medicaid. Meanwhile, her home needed modifications to accommodate her new status, in particular a roll in shower and ramp to get into the home. Fortunately, there were many skilled trades people amongst her family and friends to do the work required but they needed assistance purchasing materials. While researching spinal cord injuries, her sister Julia learned about the Joseph Groh foundation online.

Since the accident, Angella reports that she has regained some movement in her hands and arms, and while her legs have limited movement there is some and she has begun working with a walker. "My entire family has rallied around me since the accident, and they continue to help and serve in any way they can," she said. "This has definitely been the hardest journey of my life, but God has been with me and I am looking forward to what lies ahead in my future. The light of the Lord shines through your work, and I cannot express my gratitude enough to your foundation," she concluded.