Kevin's Recovery Helping Kevin Mather on his road to recovery

Kevin Moving to Rehabilitation on Saturday!

Update @ 5:02 PM – Here’s the address/phone to Northridge Medical Center:

18300 Roscoe Blvd (map)
Northridge, CA 91325-4167
(818) 885-8500

Please hold off on visiting until Kevin is settled in his new digs. We’ll post an update when he’s ready for visitors again. Thanks!

July 10th, 4:43 PM – Just one week after the accident, and after multiple surgeries, Kevin is ready to move to a rehabilitation center in Northridge at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning. We guess Kevin just wasn’t going to take things lying down! More details to follow shortly.

Following is the update we received from Sarah Isaac at 2:47 PM today:

A number of people from Copperhill spent the evening at the hospital with Kevin, Tiffany and the Gentrys. At the end of the evening before Kevin went to sleep we all piled into his room, surrounded him and laid hands on him to pray. Many prayers were offered for the miraculous healing of Kevin’s legs, many offered in thanks for all that the Lord has spared thus far, including Kevin’s life, vision, brain, and charisma. After several people had prayed, Kevin joined in. He first prayed a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord for all of the family, friends and members of Copperhill that have poured out their love and encouragement. Then, through tears, he prayed “Lord, I pray that through these circumstances, you would help me love you more tomorrow than I do today.”
God is good. Praise the Lord for the hope and peace that that can only come from knowing our God!

This morning marked the one week anniversary of the accident. Much to the surprise of the family, today Kevin was cleared for a transfer to a physical therapy center in Northridge. They had originally been told that Kevin would be transfered in 1-2 weeks but he continues to progress quickly. PRAISE THE LORD!!!! Stay tuned for updates on the specifics of the transfer that will probably take place on Monday. Please continue to pray for a miraculous healing. Pray also that the Lord will continue to lift the spirits of Kevin and Tiffany as they continue on this journey to recovery.

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.” –Psalm 34:17-19

A General Roundup from Lynn & Mark Mather

July 10, 7:18 AM – Last night we received the following thoughts via email from Kevin’s parents:

On Wednesday night we believe the reality of Kevin’s situation hit him from having the back brace put on and being put into a wheel chair. Needless to say his spirits were down. I didn’t see him on Wednesday, for I felt he needed to rest.

Today [Thursday] his mother and I arrived at the hospital at around 12 noon. He was just wheeled into his room from surgery putting in his blood clot filter. He was awake, coherent, talking and making jokes. In other words, back to himself. He has definitely enjoyed the great food that the team from Copperhill Community Church has been bringing, and he got his fill today.

Andrew from the church came in today to see Kevin. He said to me that he had a feeling that he needed to come down. Upon his arrival he shared with his mother, myself, and others the eight step plan that was put together for James, who lost his leg and was in a coma for several months and who is a member of the church as well. He gave us copy of this plan, and it was incredible. It was well thought out and reviewed obviously by several intelligent people. We went into Kevin’s room and shared it with him and Tiff. [We all] prayed to the Lord for the answering of our prayers and the strength that will be needed going forward.

Tiffany informed us [of the support coming from Kevin's employer, Tejon Ranch]. Many thanks to everyone at Kevin’s work place for doing this. You are an incredible company.

Later in the evening I invited a man [name withheld] in to see Kevin. His brother was hit by a car while on his motorcycle on a freeway in Pomona. He too was air evacuated to USC. [The man] has been sleeping at the hospital for three days to be with his brother in the same waiting room with us. We have been sharing food and drinks with him, and he is very grateful and wanted to meet Kevin. I will meet his brother tomorrow. We both prayed for Kevin and [the man's] brother for a speedy recovery.

Small But Mighty!

I have not been to the Copperhill Church yet, and you can be sure that I will!

Kevin tells me that the congregation is approximately 500 people. It came to me today that the Church has now had two men going through life changing events and they are working together diligently to raise them up. My perspective is the David vs. Goliath scenario. Kevin, James, and the Recovery Team are David and the accidents and their immediate and future challenges are Goliath. We are going to share this recovery plan with our church in Westlake Village, and Lynn will be sharing it with hers in North Carolina.

“God grant me the Serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.”

While in the hospital being treated for cancer, I would recite this to myself several times a day to help put things into perspective and asking God’s help to keep me strong.

To all of our family, friends and incredible people at Copperhill Church, a big thank you for all that you are doing while in the hospital and behind the scenes for Kevin and Tiffany. We are blessed with God’s greatness and we, Kevin & Tiffany, and the Gentry’s thank each and every one of you for your caring and thoughtfulness in this time of need.

Keep your prayers coming. They work!

God Bless,
Mark & Lynn Mather

Mather Condo Repairs

July 9, 10:45 PM – The following message is from Eric Helgemo:

In the midst of everything that transpired last weekend, the Mathers had a toilet supply line burst and flood their condo. Thanks to the quick response from several friends with shop vacs and mops, the furniture was saved. However, the flooring and baseboard were ruined. I and Andrew Daymude met with Gregg Gentry yesterday to assess the damage and formulate a plan to restore their home. Although they are insured, the damage will exceed the policy limits. We will respond in love to see that their home is restored quickly and without cost (we hope) as they face many expenses ahead. We hope to have the supplies purchased this week and begin the restoration next week.

If you are able to donate time and have skills in tiling or laying baseboard please contact me by cell: (805) 587-0043.

For the repairs we need to purchase:

• 200 LF of 5″ MFD baseboard
• 1 gallon of white paint
• 260 SF laminate flooring, and
• 72 SQ YD of carpet

Note: Due to additional damage caused to an adjacent vacant unit, some drywall, insulation, texture and painting work needs to be done as well.

7/14 – Update: Through donations of material and finances, these needs have now been met! Thank you! Construction to commence shortly!

On a personal note, last night as my family (4yrs and up) knelt and prayed to God for Kevin and family, I couldn’t help but feel God’s presence and wonder what it must be like to hear thousands of people from our church and the local community crying out to an awesome God who hears them all. Thank you for that experience, Kevin. You are in his hands. Amen.

Eric Helgemo

Message from Gregg and Janice Gentry

July 9th, 6:45 AM – The following message was received last night from the Gentry’s (Tiffany’s parents):

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” –Psalm 46

Were it not for the infinite love, the absolute sovereignty, and limitless power of our loving Father, we would be tempted to fear. For a moment on Friday, it felt as though the earth had given way. How quickly the Holy Spirit reminded us that He was with Kevin and that just as He sustained Kevin’s every breath before the accident, He was sustaining Kevin’s next breath and heartbeat as we rushed to be with Tiffany at USC Medical Center. We know that as much as we love Kevin and Tiffany, God’s love is infinite in depth and wisdom.

Our loving Father has not only been present, but so near that even the slightest whisper has reached Him. We are thankful for the comfort and peace that only He can give. We praise God for sparing not only Kevin’s life, but also preventing brain injury. We are in awe of the strength Tiffany is drawing from her heavenly Father. We are so proud of her–the pressure has not dimmed her faith; rather the dark circumstances have made God’s love and power shine brilliantly.

We love seeing Kevin’s wonderful sense of humor and playful, tender love for Tiffany as we spend time together. We continue to pray without ceasing as we know we serve the God who spoke the world into being, who parted the Red Sea, who provided manna in the wilderness, who empowered His servants to slay giants, who shuts the mouths of lions, who rescued His servants from a fiery furnace, who was born of a virgin, who suffered, died, and rose again so that we could experience newness of life. Our redeeming God is at work–the final chapter is not written.

“If we see only the things of time, and forget the things of eternity, we perish, our faith withers and we become weak and hopeless. We need vision for life, vision for prayer, continual undimmed vision, if we are to be those on whom our God can count for anything, any time, anywhere.” –Amy Carmichael

Please pray for us:

• Tiff and Kev both need sleep.
• We are asking for miraculous healing of Kev’s legs.
• Comfort, strength, faith, and hope.
• Peace and discernment for the next steps.

We love you all,
Gregg & Janice

Today’s Visit with Kevin

July 8th, 6:00 p.m.  Notes from Tiffany given to Rhonda Stout:

Leanne Souisa and I went down to visit with Tiffany today while Kevin was supposed to be in surgery to have a permanent filter for his blood placed in his veins.  Upon arriving Tiffany informed us that Kevin had not gone into surgery yet and that they were waiting for the filter to be delivered.  Leanne and I were able to go in then and see Kevin for about 15 minutes.  The plastic surgeon had re-done his stitches on his head yesterday and they really looked amazing.  Today was the first day that he was able to sit up in his bed, which was so encouraging to see.  As we waited to find out when Kevin would be heading into surgery, the nurse came in to say that they would not be able to get the filter today, but he would be first on the surgery time slots for tomorrow morning (July 9).

I asked Tiffany to give me an update on the doctors report so I could post it on the Blog and this is the information she gave:

The neurosurgeon came in this morning to check his wound and said that is still looks great and that there is no more fluid building up so they removed the drains they had put in.  Today was the first day he was allowed to sit up in his bed which allows them to remove the restrictions on his diet and he can now have some solid food.  They performed sensory tests on his legs again today and there was no change, which was discouraging for Kevin.   The doctors goal right now is to get him to be able to sit up well enough that he could be moved to a wheelchair within a day or two.  The next step would be for him to be transferred to a rehabilitation center as soon as 1-2 weeks.

The physical therapist came in this afternoon and fitted Kevin for his back brace. Tiffany said this was very painful as they had to move him back and forth on his side to get the correct fit.  They also began his physical fitness. They put bands on the top of his bed so he could do arm strengthening exercises and gave Tiffany specific exercises for her to do throughout the day on his toes and feet.  They also showed him how to do stomach crunches to begin immediately to strengthen his abdominal muscles.

Specific Prayer Requests:

• While the physical therapist was in with Kevin & Tiffany, Kevin was told for the first time what his chances of walking again were and this was extremely difficult for him to take in fully.  They discussed with him that if he does walk again it may be with some form of walker or with crutches.  Pray for Kevin to not be discouraged from hearing this news and for him to not be consumed with fear for his future.  Please pray for Tiffany as she is helping him try to process this information and encourage him to not give in to the fear of the unknown.
• Kevin mentioned to Tiffany that was concerned for the salvation of the driver and would like for us to pray for that.
• Continued prayer for the family members that are staying in the waiting room for extended periods of time, that will be able to get some rest.  Especially Tiffany as she has been getting no more than 5 hours of sleep at a time.

Just a few notes on people going to visit them in the hospital:

• If you are going there please know that you may or may not be able to actually see Kevin, depending on how many visitors he has had that day and how much rest he has had or has not had.  But know that Tiffany loves having people come to visit her during the day too, so if you are able to go for a couple of hours it is really encouraging to her.
• If you are able to go in to see Kevin please be mindful of how long you stay in the room with him.  He completely enjoys seeing everyone, but he does get tired easily and needs his rest.  Maybe limiting your time to 10-15 minutes would be appreciated.
• Along with that if there could only be 2 people going into his room at a time it helps him to feel more relaxed and not overwhelmed.
• If you are going down and are thinking about bringing some snacks or other items, there were a few things that they mentioned would be nice: water, hand wipes, gum, Mentos/ breath mints, maybe a deck of cards or board game for people visiting in the waiting room, crossword puzzles, or Sudoku.

Tiffany and the family appreciate so much everything that everyone has done for them, especially the continued prayers.  Tiffany has been trying to read the comments on the Blog in the evening if she has a few minutes as has appreicated the outpour or love and kind words from everyone, so thank you all for posting comments here!

Another Article in The Signal referencing Kevin

July 8th, 8:01 am: Below is a link to an article in The Signal newspaper this am that references Kevin.

http://www.the-signal.com/news/article/15313/

A Message From Kevin’s Parents

July 8th, 12:39 AM – Received via email from Mark Mather:

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the great work on the Kevin’s Recovery website.  Here are my feelings about today regarding Kevin.

Yesterday (Monday) Kevin was measured for a back brace.  He was moved from side to side on his bed for those measurements. (painful). Kevin & Tiffany’s Pastor, Brian Howard returning from vacation came in to visit Kevin.  A great guy!  All of us in the room prayed before Pastor Brian left.  Kevin was hungry and wanted real food.  Especially cheesecake! Later in the day Kevin had a plastic surgeon come into his room and re-do the stitches in his head so the scaring would be less. (painful).  This is after having an operation of 12 hours on Friday putting two metal rods into his back with 12 screws attaching them to his spine. (painful).  During the operation he lost 7 liters of blood.  The human body holds approximately 5 liters.  The neurosurgeon said Kevin is lucky to be alive and lucky to survive the surgery.  The surgical team did a incredible job and we will never forget them.  Thank you.

Today (Tuesday) at 8am he went under surgery to have a temporary blood clot filter put into him in the hip area to prevent any blood clots from his legs that would move into his lungs or other parts of his body.  During the surgery they discovered that his veins were to large because of his athletic condition to accommodate the size of the temporary blood clot filters.  The doctors then decided that a permanent filter would be better because the size of his veins.  They asked Kevin about this (he was awake) and he wanted to talk it over with Tiff so they stopped the operation and closed him up. (painful).  Kevin and Tiff discussed it today and he is scheduled for surgery again tomorrow (Wednesday) at approximately 8am to put a permanent blood clot filter in.  It will take approximately two hours.  If you are planning on visiting Kevin, it will have to be in the late afternoon on Wednesday. (Call before coming to see if you will be able to see him) While at the hospital today I did not get to see Kevin because he was sleeping well and I did not want to interrupt his much needed rest.  It gave me time to think and it occurred to me after processing the above information that his mother and I have raised a very strong man.  I wish I could take his pain away and make it mine.  I know I can’t and it hurts me that I can’t do so.  With the grace of God, the incredible doctors at USC, the strength of his great wife Tiffany, her caring parents & family, their many friends and the family of the Copperhill Church, I feel that he will do amazing things.  I found the following passage in the Bible that seems to put Kevin and Tiffany’s situation into perspective.

Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

After hearing more information regarding the accident it is difficult not to be upset.  If it wasn’t for his biking buddies coming up from behind him, he could of bled to death on the side of the road if he was riding by himself.  Our thanks to all of you on the ride that helped Kevin in his time of need.  God Bless you!

His mother and I are thankful to God that our son is alive and that he has an incredibly strong wife with great supportive parents and a tremendous amount of support from family, friends and their church group.  We have met some of you at the hospital and I am sure we will meet more of you in the weeks ahead.  We would like to thank you sooooo much for being there for Kevin and Tiffany in their time of need.  God bless you all.  Please keep your prayers coming.  They work!

Sincerely,
Mark & Lynn Mather

News Story about Kevin in The Signal

The Signal just published a story about Kevin. Here’s a link:

http://www.the-signal.com/news/article/15278/

My Visit with Kevin (from Eric Swihart)

[Yesterday, July 6] at lunchtime, Andy Barczak and I made a trip to see Kevin and his family. We were armed with a few large pizzas and sodas. As Andy and I drove down there, Andy asked me how the accident played out from my point of view. As I thought through the events of Friday morning, I began to see God’s mercy being poured out on all of us that where with Kevin on that ride.

As Andy and I entered the waiting room I could already see the amount of support that they had received over the weekend. Large amounts of snacks and drinks had been placed in the waiting room that the Mather / Gentry familes have been calling home over the last few days. Andy and I spoke with Gregg and Janice and got the update on Kevin’s condition. Tiffany took Andy and I to Kevin’s room to see him. As we arrived they were fitting Kevin with a back brace and after it was all said and done, Kevin was extremely tired and in alot of pain. We let him rest for a bit before going to his room.

A few minutes had gone by when Tiffany returned to the waiting room and asked us to go and see Kevin. We had a few minutes to talk with him and it was encouraging to see and he was alert and was able to talk to us.

Keep on praying for Kevin and Tiffany! Pray that through this accident that those who do not know God will come to know Him!

- Eric Swihart

Note: Eric was one among the cyclists with Kevin on Friday morning.

Hospital Visiting Hours

We have heard over and over how much Kevin and his family cherish visits from supporters and loved ones. These visits are a vital part of Kevin’s recovery process! At the same time, we have heard that the family wants Kevin to be able to get more rest. So, please limit hospital visits to the following hours:

Morning/Afternoon: 9 a.m – 2 p.m.
Evening: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

These hours may change as needed, so be sure to check this Web site before you go to the hospital. Soon we’ll have a “Visitors” page and printable download, which will provide map/directions, visiting tips, etc.

Thank you (a million times over) for all the posts and visits. You guys are great!

Kevin’s Recovery Team