Restore Nate

By Eugene Bruno on October 5, 2021

Representing our clients is rewarding work, but Bruno & Associates still looks for additional ways to give back to the community. From community service to scholarships to monetary donations, Bruno & Associates enjoys giving back to the community and encourages others to do the same. Recently, Nate Lewis’s family came to us in need of help and we were glad to be able to help them.

Nate has been involved in Pomerado Christian Church and youth ministry since the day he was born. He is also an avid surfer. Last year, Nate started his freshman year at Biola University studying business. On Friday night, February 21, 2020 at around 9 PM, Nate was hanging out with his friends at Biola riding skateboards. Nate was in the lead and turned onto a street where he collided with a truck. He was not wearing a helmet and suffered significant head and brain trauma. Nate was taken by ambulance to UC Irvine Medical Center where he was unresponsive. Neurosurgeons removed a portion of Nate’s skull to relieve pressure on his brain. He had multiple skull fractures as well as a broken nose, cracked ribs and a partially collapsed lung. By the next morning, Nate was in ICU and in a coma. Nate remained there for 40 days but he is home now with his family in San Diego.

When Nate was ready to be discharged from the hospital, his family thought the only option was to bring him to a Long Term Acute Care or a Skilled Nursing Facility. Then COVID-19 hit hard. Quarantine and lock down would mean not seeing Nate for who knows how long. The thought of leaving Nate in a facility and not being able see him was unfathomable to his family.

If Nate’s family did not make the decision to bring him home, they believe he would have died. (In fact, 25% of the patients and staff were infected with COVID-19 at one facility they were looking at for Nate.) Having Nate at home allows him to be with his family and, as a result of their love and care, Nate’s range of motion is improving with daily exercise and he appears to be showing new levels of awakeness or alertness with daily interactions with family and friends. Nate’s condition remains serious, but these are positive signs. Although no longer in a coma, Nate remains in a minimally conscious state but at least he is at home with those who love and support him. Nate’s family are hopeful, but they still need a lot of support and encouragement to get them through this difficult period. Prayers, words of encouragement, and offers of help all are appreciated.

Bruno & Associates believe with continued love and support, Nate will be restored and we have donated $30,000 in an effort to help support his ongoing recovery. To be able to be at home, Nate will need access ramps, wider doorways and a lot of other expensive home modifications. Dan and Michelle are doing the best they can, but Nate’s ongoing recovery is costly. They are humbly asking for donations to help support the effort to restore Nate. Any financial support will help cover the cost of Nate’s care.

How Donations Will Help

• Insurance Premiums
• Ongoing Medical supplies, medicine and treatments
• In-home Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists
• Specialist Visits
• Non-traditional & naturalistic therapies and treatments (e.g. acupuncture, stem cell therapy, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, supplements, etc)
• Home Renovations for Wheelchair Accessibility

Ways to Help Financially

• GoFundMe Info: https://www.gofundme.com/f/nathan-lewis
• Venmo: @djlewis110
• Checks: Daniel Lewis, PO Box 270705, San Diego, CA 92198
• RestoreNate Etsy Store (T-shirts/Hoodies):
• https://www.etsy.com/shop/RestoreNate

Ways to Learn About Nate’s Family

• Dan’s “Spiritual Formation through Suffering” Survey:
• https://tinyurl.com/SufferingSurvey
• Dan’s “Embracing Trials” Sermon (Sept 12, 2020)
• Dan’s “Fix Your Eyes” Sermon (Nov 29, 2020)
• Camille’s Testimony: OPTIC Youth Summer Retreat (Starts at 30
• minute mark)
• Nate’s First Four Months Summary: Nate 4 Month Summary (Google
• Drive)
• Nate’s Grad Video: Nate Grad Video (Drive – Hi Res)
• Camille’s Blog : https://camilleprz.wordpress.com/
• Lewis Family Blog: https://lewisfamadventures.com/?order=asc

Ways to Communicate with Nate’s Family

• Address: Nathan Lewis, PO Box 270705, San Diego, CA 92198
• Email: RestoreNate@gmail.com
• Instagram: @RestoreNate (https://www.instagram.com/restorenate/)