The Leopoldo Lopez Story
My name is Rose Lopez, and I am the wife of Leo whom was at the receiving end of this offender’s reckless act. Everything about the crash is still fresh in my memory. That morning he was on his way to work I saw him off and an hour later I’m walking into in intensive care unit, seeing him paralyzed with tubes drilled into his head and ventilator breathing for him. The pain is immeasurable. The most difficult thing I ever had to do was to tell our kids why daddy was not coming home and explain to them that he might be going to heaven. I will never forget the look on their faces. He went through rehab, learning how to walk again, eat and speak. Something that comes so naturally to all of us was so hard for him. Succumbing to depression is the threat to his life on a daily basis. He has a completely new personality because of the brain injury.
We have four children two boys, ages 4 and 5 and twin girls age 2, all of which depend on us. There is not a night that goes by that my oldest prays that his dad gets better. In a sense, I feel that he knows his dad still has ways to go and he feels that God has not answered his prayer yet. Everything we had worked for was taken from under our feet including the sense of security from my children. The drunk driver’s poor choices cost us everything. We have to rebuild our lives and the constant reminder that our lives will never be the same follows us in everything we do. My husband was our only source of income. We struggle to pay our bills and meet the basic needs of our kids with a low monthly disability check.
With the help from AAIM and Lorraine we have been able to hold our heads above water. Lorraine especially, thank you for being my rock through this all. Rosendo Garcia was sentenced to two weeks in jail and boot camp which can vary 3 to 8 months, depending on his behavior. Life moves on and does not stop to consider the circumstances within it, but the Lord has given us peace.
Rosa, his wife and children, Nathan, Adrian, Alicia and Emily Lopez
