Dear ASHRAE members:

Many of you have heard that John Martin PE suffered an accident three weeks ago which resulted in a rather severe head trauma. For seventeen days he was in ICU at St. Francis and was then air transported to an ICU at Shepherd Center in Atlanta Georgia. This is a facility that specializes in the treatment of people with brain and spinal injuries.

As of today when I talked to his wife, John has been up and sitting in a chair for the first time. He has not needed assistance from the ventilator for a couple of days. The pneumonia he has been fighting for two and half weeks is about gone. It appears that he will be dismissed from ICU this weekend. Then he can begin the 6 to 8 weeks of intense physical therapy.
Today, he was fitted with a speech valve for his tracheotomy and for the first time has been able to express himself verbally. He recognized family members and could answer some basic questions, but is still confused. After three weeks, today is really Day 1 of returning. John and his family still have a long road ahead.

Many of you have been asking what you can do. A fund has been set up for the family at Intrust Bank in Wichita. The fund is called “The John Martin Family Benefit Fund”. This will help provide for some of the expenses of living away from home and travel to and from Atlanta.

Make checks payable to : John Martin Family Benefit Fund

Mail to: Intrust Bank
Attn: Mail Tellers
105 N. Main
Wichita, KS 67202

This will be much appreciated by the family, and they also do appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers of everyone during this difficult time. Cards can be sent to:

John Martin
c/o Shepherd Center
2020 Peachtree Rd. NW
Atlanta, Ga. 30309-1465

Thank you for your help and assistance. Please forward this along to others who are not ASHRAE members, but who you know have known John in his career. They too may be interested in helping.

I will try to keep everyone up to date on John’s progress as his wife informs me. It will be a long journey back, but for today, the prognosis is positive.

Don Norton