The Joseph Groh Foundation announced its most recent grant recipient: Stanley Bray.
More than 17 years after breaking his neck and damaging his spinal cord during a mountain biking accident, Joe Groh, founder of the Joseph Groh Foundation, has become a beacon of hope for people in the construction trades living with permanent, life-altering disabilities.
Earlier this year, the Joseph Groh Foundation announced its most recent grant recipient: Stanley Bray, a licensed electrician and small business owner from Orange Beach, Alabama, who became quadriplegic after suffering a C6 spinal cord injury. Thanks to the grant, Bray was able to make critical accessibility modifications to his home, such as expanding his shower and creating a roll-under sink.
“I am now able to wash my face, brush my teeth and comb my hair out of bed and in front of the mirror. This has allowed me to have my first real shower in months,” said Bray. “My wife and child depended on me before the accident as a father and financial provider. All of that has been shattered, and I would like to put the pieces back together for my family.”
The foundation provides information, resources, financial assistance and grants for individuals in the construction industry who face both short- and long-term disabilities. For Joe Groh, the nonprofit’s founder, aiding Bray and others in reestablishing comfort and independence after a life-changing injury is more than just work—it’s a personal mission. More than 17 years after breaking his neck and damaging his spinal cord on Father’s Day, Groh has maintained a mindset of positivity and resilience.
“You can’t imagine it. It’s a story that you read, but put yourself in their position. How would any of us feel if we couldn’t take a shower or perform our daily tasks for years? It gets at the very heart of your dignity,” said Groh. “Sometimes they are just looking for someone to talk through that understands their experience. I let them know that at the end of the rainbow, there’s definitely a life on the other side. Even if it’s going to be a different life, it can still be a good life.”
Since its establishment, the Joseph Groh Foundation has helped 151 families across 38 states, providing grants totaling more than .4 million.
“We try to provide information that we didn’t have when I got hurt. We want to at least get families started on the path of learning, because when something like this happens to you, it affects your entire family,” Groh said.
By offering grants for essentials that government programs or insurance won’t cover, the foundation has delivered shower chairs, various wheelchairs and wheelchair-accessible vehicles, assistive technology, rehabilitation equipment and other personal needs that help individuals with disabilities feel more independent, productive or able to resume work.
“A lot of smaller employers and public contractors with fewer than 10 employees may not offer short and long-term disability insurance for their employees. That’s critical to your survival,” said Groh.
After more than 35 years of working in the industry, Groh is focused on ensuring his experience, knowledge and foundation’s mission will survive well past the original founders.
“The stories that we come across inspire us and make us more determined to make sure we are able to pass this on to the next generation—that 30 to 50 years from now, the foundation is still helping people,” Groh said.
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