08/30/2023
Hey guys!
For those of you who do not know, Travis is the a Physical Therapist and is the Clinical Education Specialist for Valley Seating and Mobility. VSM is a custom manual and power wheelchair provider in the Phoenix Metro area.
We are posting the following because of something that recently happened close to Travis’ heart at work. Travis lost a close friend and colleague this weekend. His name is Chris Wood ATP.
Chris, his wife and 5 year old son Lucas moved to AZ about a year ago from the Bay Area to be close to Chris' dad who was dying from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Chris was a wheelchair technician in California and came to work with us upon moving to AZ.
We all took Chris under our wing and in a few months he was able to pass his RESNA Certification test and become an Assistive Technology Professional or ATP. This was a huge accomplishment for all of us, especially Chris as this was something he tried before in California, but failed.
Chris and Travis were work friends and colleagues and he passed away suddenly and unexpectedly from a Strep A infection that manifested in his chest wall on Sunday night.
He was healthy as a horse and because of a bacterial infection that suspecting came into him through a recent cut on his hand, he was taken from us way too soon leaving behind his wife and young son. He had a huge heart and a bright future ahead of him as a seating professional helping people get into the equipment they so desperately need and will be greatly missed by the Phoenix rehab and medical communities and his colleagues.
We learned today that his life insurance is quite limited (seating techs really don't make that much and he just recently became an ATP) I am reaching out to see if we can come together in this time of need and help his family...even if it is just a couple dollars.
If you cannot donate, maybe you can forward the “Go Fund Me”link (link is located in our story highlight) to someone you think might be able to help.
We really appreciate and love all of you!