Friends of Tony UpdateThis page was last updated on July 9, 2006 |
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Message From Tony
I wish to thank all the wonderful friends and strangers who prayed and supported me in my 20-month ordeal in the hospital. I am home now. When I was at Rancho Los Amigos in Downey for back surgery, it was very hard for me to communicate with any of you. Please forgive me for not answering your many emails, but between the pain medication and boredom of lying on my back for most of the time, I was not in a very good place mentally. Even now, I'm finding it hard to type with my left hand and express myself in email. This is still very new to me, I have been right handed all my life. And as you probably know, I have my family here to help me get this message out to you.
Coming home last month without Mary Alice around was also very difficult. With so much already taken away from me, I have been in a deep depression, which I hope to overcome. My parents keep telling me they cannot believe how many friends I have, and they are right. It really helps me to focus on more positive things when friends come by and visit. I'm looking forward to seeing you all at Fullerton Airport at the next barbeque so that I can thank all of you personally. I must have looked at the picture of the barbeque that many of you attended shortly after the crash a hundred times. At that time I was in a coma and could not be there. It brought tears to my eyes. But for this one, I'll be there with bells on my wheelchair. I really miss Fullerton Airport and all the people there. At present, I cannot walk, but with God's help, this may change some day. Again, thank you all for your prayers and support. Tony AKA Antwan Tony's Current Condition
After battling a series of very painful burns for nearly two years, Tony continues to show great signs of healing. He has a wound care nurse coming by on a daily basis to change his bandages. He needs 24/7 care. To help him maintain regular nutrition, Tony is outfitted with a peg tube (feeding tube)... (read more)
The regular round of visitors coming by to see him has lifted Tony's spirits recently. He has started a new photography project and plans to take pictures of everyone who has helped him. To keep up with the latest developments, check out the calendar area at the bottom of this page for weekly updates on Tony's condition. How to Help TonyTony's needs are very great right now, so it's not really possible for anyone to care for him without special training, especially for any length of time while he's at home. No longer in the hospital, Tony's family takes care of him, but more often they have to pay for a professional caregiver to provide the assistance that he needs. This is not covered by his insurance; it is a direct cost of several thousand dollars each month paid for by Tony and to his family. Once Tony heals and can build up his upper body strength, we are hoping that he will be a lot more independent and not need a professional caregiver.Right now, the best thing that people can do to help Tony would be visit. Even a short visit is appreciated. You can send email to the family if you have any questions or need more information. In addition, you can volunteer to be one of Tony's meals-on-wheels team to help him get the nutrition he needs to heal properly. Check out the favorite foods link. In the end, you could also provide a much-needed donation to Tony's recovery fund. Plane Crash Investigation CompletedIt took 20 months for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to complete their investigation of the accident.
Their findings concur with what had already been speculated in the aviation community for some time now, that the plane crash could have been easily prevented if the pilot had properly checked the plane prior to take off.
The NTSB concluded that a strap used to hold the rudder stationary was not removed. As a result, the aircraft was rendered uncontrollable on the ground and in the air. Despite having several opportunities to shut the plane down before attempting to take off, the pilot chose to endanger everyone’s life at the airport and in the surrounding community that day. The pilot, Jay Yoshinaga, was injured in the crash, but he is fine now. Two women in a car hit by the plane had suffered only minor injuries. It was Tony who suffered the worst. A spectator at the airport videotaped the accident sequence, and provided the footage to the NTSB investigators. In addition to the videotape, other spectators at the airport submitted numerous photographs. One such photograph, enhanced by the Safety Board vehicle recorders specialist, clearly showed that a strap connecting the left elevator to the rudder had not been removed. 
On September 25, 2004, Tony was the passenger of a three-engine (tri-motor Bushmaster Aircraft 2000) airplane that veered off the runway during takeoff at Fullerton
Municipal Airport during an airport festival and then crashed moments later. The plane crashed while on a test flight and was not participating in the day's events at the time.
A pilot's ultimate responsibility is to make sure that everything possible has been done for a safe flight. Previous Friends-of-Tony UpdatesYou can read previous FriendsOfTony Updates by clicking on the links below.
If you haven't already done so, add yourself to the Friends-of-Tony email list and friends page to find out more about Tony's condition and what you can do to help. Thank you, Steve Albanese FriendsOfTony.com Calendar |
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June 2006
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July 2006
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Week of June 4 The regular round of visitors coming by to see him has lifted Tony's spirits recently. He has started a new photography project and plans to take pictures of everyone who has helped him. Week of June 11-25 Tony has had a busy couple of weeks with doctor's appointments; he's been back to Rancho Los Amigos for a follow-up visit, his first time back since coming home last month. He also went to see an elbow specialist about restoring mobility and strength in his right arm (without incurring further nerve damage). |
Week of July 2 Tony's elbow surgery has been targeted for the end of July. His doctors will be working on freeing up his elbow joint and shoulder, both have a build up of calcium. Week of July 9 Tony continues to heal well, making progress on all counts. He has been very upbeat and he's been making many plans for a number of projects in the future. |
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