Mike Rollins
(Original Online Submission by Wife and Veteran Peggy Rollins): My husband, Michael, was injured in a mortar attack in Iraq in 2003 while serving with the military. He is legally blind and suffers from TBI, PTSD, and severe gate loss and has to wear compression bandages to include gloves, sleeves, and stockings. He also must wear metal braces on his legs to assist with standing, walking, and balance and, at times, must use a wheelchair.
Michael has been unable to bathe or shower by himself without assistance since returning home after being injured. An organization is assisting us with an addition to our home to make it more accessible for him. He is currently in constant pain and has, to date, had to receive close to thirty epidurals and nerve blocks to help with the pain.
As we all sat down to determine his needs and best and safest process to allow him to bathe alone your company’s shower and walk-in tub seemed to be the answer to our prayers. I think your walk in tub would be more beneficial to him than an accessible shower because he would be able to use the jet feature to ease joint, back, knee and overall pain. If he is chosen to receive one of your tubs, his independence and confidence will increase greatly; thus improving his quality of life. Mike has constantly told everyone that one of his final steps in his recovery would love to be able to bathe alone. He tells me each and every day that all he wants from me is to go back to smiling like I used to. It is hard for me to see him struggle so much with the easiest of tasks.
This letter reached the desk of the president of Safe Step Walk-In Tub Co., one of the world’s leading provider of state-of the-art hydrotherapeutic walk-in tubs. Duffer started a national program of giving called Safe Step Cares, which provides FREE tubs to those in need. In the past three years, Safe Step Cares has donated approximately 1 tub per month to individuals who are active in the community and/or who have served our country but who are unable to afford the tub. Duffer made Mike Rollins the first Georgia recipient of the program.
Rollins’ tub was delivered ceremoniously and was provided at no charge to the Rollins family. Duffer and his Safe Step Cares team flew in to present Mike and Peggy with their new tub.
“Safe Step is in the business of changing lives every day and we know our tub will be of great benefit to both Mike and Peggy,” said Duffer. “They’ve been through a lot, have both served our country and we are looking forward to our product making a positive impact on them both.”
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