page3

On Aug. 30, 1999, my son, Levi Castro was 20 years old, a gifted athlete and an up-and-coming young surfer; he'd also just begun a thriving remodeling business with me. On Aug. 31, everything changed.

While surfing off Westcliff Drive, Levi suffered a near-fatal accident, breaking his neck in four places and becoming a quadriplegic. He was hospitalized for nearly seven months, eventually leaving a Colorado rehab facility on March 23, 2000. Before Levi had even returned home, he and I were already trying, along with Levi's mother and two sisters, to absorb the enormity of what had happened. We quickly realized that having the right tools was going to be crucial in helping Levi to get around and continue to live a full life.

This is how West Coast Mobility, our Santa Cruz-based business got started. We are dedicated to selling and installing medical equipment to help the elderly and disabled remain healthy, active and mobile. We specialize in installing overhead lift systems, mechanized tracks and pulleys that help the disabled and their caretakers move them around the house or place of work with greater ease. These systems allow caretakers to move a disabled person from a bed to a wheelchair, for example, without straining their backs or accidentally hurting the patient.

Since the time of Levi's injury, we have come a long way and learned a lot. Coping with the shock of the accident, and the amount of information we needed to learn, was at times, overwhelming. Because of this first hand experience, we focus on selling only the best products, with as little down time as possible. It makes a huge difference. For Levi, remaining healthy, mobile, and active is the most important thing in the world. Our goal is to extend our first-hand knowledge and top rated products to our customers.