Community rallies for burned student

Castillo

Richard and Patsy Castillo of Bluntzer have spent nearly two weeks praying for their 20-year-old son to open his eyes.
   As their son, Ricky, lies heavily sedated in intensive care at Parkland Hospital in Dallas with second- and third-degree burns over 75 percent of his body from a July 7 house explosion in Stephenville - likely caused by a gas leak - family and friends back home have come to their aid by organizing fund-raisers and blood drives.
   "The nurses keep telling us that he can hear us," Richard Castillo said, choking back the tears as he spoke of his son, a Banquete High School graduate and sophomore at Tarleton State University. "There have been times when Ricky tries to blink his eyes for me.
   "Every chance we get, we tell him we believe in him, in God, and for him to just keep fighting. I assure him that we're not leaving his side, to be strong and courageous. And we tell him about all the support we've gotten from so many friends and from people we don't even know.

How you can help A medical fund has been set up at Bank of America, 14050 Northwest Blvd., Corpus Christi, 78410. The account is 005774524668. Blood drive, 1 to 4:30 p.m. today at Northwest Regional Hospital in Calallen, 13725 Northwest Blvd. Donors should specify the donation is for Ricky Castillo at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. Blood drive, 4 to 7 p.m. July 30 at Vernon’s Bar-B-Que, 1030 Third St. For info, call 855-4943. Fund-raising raffles begin Wednesday. Call Carol Garza at 387-1089 or Northwest Regional Hospital business office at 767-4549. Barbecue sale, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 4. Pre-sale tickets are $4.50. Plates also can be purchased at the door at St. Michael’s Parish Hall, intersection of Fourth Street and Old Highway 44 in Banquete, and at the County Center, intersection of Farm-to-Market roads 624 and 666 in Bluntzer. For information, call Dado Peña at 387-5381 or Denise Lawhon or Buddy Malek at 387-7312.

   "It's good to know that there are still caring people out there."
   Carol Garza, a business office cashier at Northwest Regional Hospital in Calallen and friend of the family, has seen overwhelming community support materialize in just a matter of days for a variety of fund-raisers benefiting the former Banquete Bulldogs' quarterback.
   "We can't even begin to imagine what Ricky is going through," Garza said "We ask that everyone in the community keep him in their prayers."
   Since the accident, Ricky has undergone multiple surgeries, including skin grafting and a tracheotomy, and is in critical but stable condition. Ricky's girlfriend, asleep at the rental house at the time of the explosion, ran half a mile to a neighbor's for help, despite suffering burns to her legs, said Minerva Gonzales, Ricky's aunt. His girlfriend has since been released from the hospital.
   Buddy Malek, a Banquete High School coach and a family friend who is among the benefit organizers, said a bake sale Saturday raised $1,641.
   "In this community, everybody knows everybody and we always rise to the occasion when it's time, because we never know who will be in need," Malek said. "Tomorrow it could be me."
   Malek has coached Little League with Richard Castillo and said the elder Castillo has been a Lions Club member for more than 20 years.
   "Our motto is to serve," Malek said. "Richard has always been there ready to help the community. Now it's payback time. We all just want to help Richard and Patsy and we're here to serve."