Family, friends and others in the community have rallied around 21-year-old Sam Steib of Norco, who suffered serious injuries to his neck and spine due to a diving accident last week in Florida.
While vacationing at Gulf Shores with a group of his friends, Steib dove off a dock not knowing the water below was shallow. That resulted in a severely broken neck and significant spinal cord injury, which rendered him paralyzed from chest down and in need of intensive care. He was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Fla., where he remained this week to receive medical attention.
Steib’s cousin, Jessica Gardere, said early indications are Steib’s surgery Monday to repair the broken vertebrae in his neck went well. An estimated 12-hour surgery took just six hours and doctors seemed optimistic about the procedure.
Still, Gardere noted, Steib will have a long road ahead of him to recovery and his overall prognosis is not yet known and likely won’t be until swelling goes down.
“We’re hoping to hear something in the next week or so,” she said. “The hope is because he’s young, active and in shape that it makes a difference in his recovery.”
She called her cousin “very much a people person” and noted she can’t think of anyone who would take issue with the Destrehan High School alumnus.
“We always joked with him that he was going to be the parish president,” Gardere said. “He just knows everybody and he’s so well-liked. It’s crazy how many people have already stepped up to support him.”
Gardere helped set up a GoFundMe page to raise money toward offsetting the ensuing travel and medical expenses from the accident. Plans are for Steib to relocate to a rehabilitation facility in Houston once he is able. In less than two days, more than 400 people contributed donations on the page, raising more than $41,000. Many supporters have gotten the word out through social media, hash tagging posts with #SamStrong and #SupportSam.
“We want to make sure he’s getting the best care possible,” Gardere said.
Gardere also said a saying of the rosary was held for Steib recently at Sacred Heart Church in Norco, which was packed with people who wanted to lend their voice.
“There were people who made the trip from the Northshore,” Gardere said. “So many people driving in. (The support) is a testament to who he is. He’s a very genuine person and people love to be around him.”
Steib earned a P Tech Scholarship from Dow upon his graduation and was two weeks into an internship with the company before the accident, one Gardere said was intended to eventually lead to a permanent position.
He was a standout baseball player in his time at Destrehan High, a multi-time All-District selection. Gardere noted Steib’s love of baseball led to him transitioning to playing league softball after DHS.
In light of that, Gardere said plans are underway to hold a softball tournament as a fundraiser. The date is still to be determined.
There will also be a jambalaya/pastalaya dinner on August 28 to benefit Steib from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each dinner will be $8. Orders or donations may be sent to samsfundraiser@hotmail.com
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