OCEANPORT – The community of Oceanport came together and raised $20,000 to aid fellow resident Barbara Fuller at a Nov. 24 benefit.
“It was excellent,” said Wendy Macksey, a lifelong friend of Fuller. “We raised quite a bit of money and got some media exposure.”
Fuller suffered a debilitating accident in February 2007 when she fell down her basement steps, breaking nearly every bone in her face. Yet more devastating for Fuller were the compound fractures in the vertebrae of her neck that left her a quadriplegic.
Fuller, who currently resides in Oceanport with her husband, Dave, was raised in Monmouth Beach and graduated from Shore Regional High School. The head of the “puppy club,” she raised seeing-eye dogs for the N.J. Seeing Eye Dog Foundation and trained others to do the same.
“She did it for the love of the dogs, and by helping them, helped others,” said Macksey. “Now Barbara needs our help.”
Following the fall, Fuller spent over six weeks in the trauma center at Jersey Shore University Medical Center on life support. She had several
operations before being transferred to Kessler Institute for rehabilitation, where she stayed for three months.
However, she was not able to stay at Kessler as long as she should have due to insurance regulations, according to Macksey. Similarly, insurance issues have prevented her from receiving the home nursing and physical therapy that she requires.
“She has good and bad days.” Macksey said. “Her main problem is that she is still fighting infection and it is hard to get the care that she needs.”
In spite of her problems, Fuller is still able to be optimistic.
“Barbara has a great positive attitude and is working hard to stay healthy,” Macksey said. “Her husband, Dave, has been wonderful. He is her primary caregiver while also working full time.”
The November benefit, which took place at the Headliner, was preceded by a spaghetti dinner event organized and hosted by the Oceanport community. Fuller expressed her thanks for the support and care shown by her friends and neighbors, calling them “angels on my shoulders.”