Murrieta family holds on to hope

By: JENNIFER KABBANY - Staff Writer | Saturday, April 2, 2005 8:55 PM PST ∞

MURRIETA ---- Stephanie Koppel misses conversations with her husband. She longs for the hugs they used to share. She wants her 6-year-old daughter, Hannah, to once again be tucked into bed at night by her daddy.

Now, none of that is possible. Kevin Koppel is in a coma, spending his days and nights in a Palm Springs hospital bed. Stephanie fills her time holding Kevin's hand, talking to him, reassuring him, praying for him.

The Murrieta family's lives took a dramatic turn on March 5, when a simple ride on a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle in the Glamis Sand Dunes turned into a nightmare.

During the ride, something Kevin has enjoyed since he was 4, he lost control and struck his head on a nearby buggy. The blow knocked Kevin unconscious.

Almost a month later, Kevin, 35, remains at Desert Regional Medical Center. His doctors told Stephanie to take things day by day, saying he sustained "very serious injuries," she said.

Her husband has not spoken since the accident. But, there is improvement, she said.

Three days after the accident, Stephanie was encouraging Kevin to open his eyes. She asked him to respond if he could hear her. As his hands trembled, he opened his eyes briefly.

Today, he can squeeze his wife's hand, scratch his head and mouth a word or two.

"I say he is healed in Jesus' name," Stephanie said, her voice steady and calm. "I think he is healed because I know what the outcome is going to be."

Still, the battle is long and uphill. The couple had recently founded Murrieta-based A.S.A. Roofing. While business was starting to pick up, the couple had yet to buy medical insurance.

"It was one of the things we were going to get," Stephanie said. "Now we are applying for Medi-Cal."

With tens of thousands of dollars in bills piling up and Stephanie spending days and nights by Kevin's side, the Koppels are reaching out to family, friends and God for support, she said. The Koppel's children, Hannah, 6, and Dustin, 16, are also praying and hoping for their father to heal, their mother said.

"We were all really close," she said. "The communication, the little things. That's what I miss the most."

A golf fund-raiser has been organized in honor of Kevin and to help pay the bills.

Family and friends have said they are shocked and saddened by the turn of events, but are pleased about his progress and Stephanie's strength, determination and hope.

"I think everybody is shaken up about how something like this can happen," said Jennifer Schacht, a family friend and a passenger in the buggy Kevin hit. "When it happened, Kevin's son just kept talking to him. He just prayed; we all prayed."

Schacht said that the Koppels are involved in a group of friends who enjoy golfing and decided the tournament would be a great way to support the family during their time of need.

"Nothing like this has ever happened," said Troy Helton, a family friend who also witnessed the accident. "We haven't been back (to the desert) since. My wife has been freaked out, everybody is. But like Stephanie said, you have to keep on living."

Stephanie said she sees a day in the future when the family can spend quality time at Lake Havasu City, one of their favorite spots. Stephanie said there is no doubt in her mind that Kevin will return to normal.

"We love to go to Havasu," she said. "I am really looking forward to that."

How to Help

In support of the Kevin Koppel Recovery Fund, family and friends are holding a golf tournament at 11 a.m., April 18, at Vista Valley Country Club, 29354 Vista Valley Drive, Vista. The $60 cost per person pays for a round of golf, T-shirt and dinner. Donations are also being accepted.

To sign up for the tournament, mail a check to the Kevin Koppel Recovery Fund, 31570 Railroad Canyon Road, Suite. 224, Canyon Lake, CA, 92587. For information, call (951) 244-8512. Family and friends ask that reservations are sent as soon as possible.

Contact staff writer Jennifer Kabbany at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2625, or jkabbany@californian.com.

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