Real Economic Impact Tour Building Economic Futures for Americans with Disabilities

Real Economic Impact Tour

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The Power of Assets - Dave Baldassara

Dave Baldassara

For those that have known individuals with Spinal Cord Injuries (or are someone that is a paraplegic or quadriplegic), Dave Baldassara’s story might sound familiar. If Dave’s high school had voted on who was “Most Likely to Become a Quad”, Dave probably would have won. Born and raised in Berlin, New Hampshire, Dave tried New Hampshire Technical College for a year after graduating and then went to work at Isaacson Steel. Neither was the right fit, so Dave decided to join the army. He was in the National Guard working as a mechanic. Largely due to his hunting experience, he had decided to join Delta Force. Dave had just received an assignment to start training weeks before his accident. Remember the movie “Black Hawk Down”, if Dave had not been injured, he may have been assigned to Somalia. Instead, Dave’s life took a different path.

Every year Conway, New Hampshire is home to the Mud Bowl- the World Championship of Mud Football. Mud Football is a bit like a combination of rugby and football played in the mud- meaning that players wear few pads and that the risks are part of the fun. So on September 6, 1991 when Dave Baldassara broke his neck during one of the games, it should have come as very little surprise. Except of course, that no one ever thinks that it will happen to them- Dave was no exception. After receiving a settlement, Dave’s lawyer, Joseph McDowell, referred him to an organization called Enhanced Life Options (ELO) to set up a Special Needs Trust. Read more about ELO in the 2005 February EQUITY Program of the Month article.

ELO’s Nina Hamberger manages Dave’s Special Needs Trust. Because of the enormous amount of medical expenses that accompany a disability like Dave’s, he needed to remain qualified for Medicaid and Medicare. Setting up a Special Needs Trust has provided Dave with more freedom and a better quality of life. The advantage of establishing the trust through ELO is that Nina handles the investing and paperwork and Dave does not have to depend on a family member to handle his finances.

Following his accident, Dave returned to school in 1992 and received a degree in drafting and mechanical engineering. He worked as a mechanical draftsman, but since work was slow, he branched off into architecture and began designing and renovating houses. He also modified his 4X4 van (purchased through the trust) to have a snowplow. He has since started his own business, plowing people’s driveways and currently has 15 customers. With the trust, Dave has also indulged his love of big toys and the outdoors- buying a boat, another van, and an accessible 4-wheel All Terrain Vehicle. However, this winter, Dave has been too busy working to hunt with his brothers. Dave may have started out as the typical daredevil-turned-quad, but because of ELO and his Special Needs Trust, he has become a mature, hard-working businessman that thoroughly enjoys life. Dave has been a member of ELO’s Board of Directors for five years and believes that his ability to retain assets saved his life.