A family tale of corporate compassion

[Max]

A family tale of corporate compassion

12/04/02

ROGER and LAURIE PARSONS

W e have just marked the first anniversary of the automobile accident that has rendered our son James a paraplegic. James is paralyzed below the mid-chest level as a result of an injury to the thoracic (T-5) level of his spinal cord.


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The one-car accident was, according to 9-1-1 reports, a result of a pickup not securing its load and having plywood come out of the bed and onto Interstate 205. When our son tried to swerve and miss the objects, his car spun out of control and hit a tree.

As you might imagine, it has been a long road toward recovery, both physically and emotionally. Aiding in this transition are the attitude and actions of our son's employer, the Hilton Portland Hotel and Executive Tower.

At the time of the accident, James was a recent graduate of Western Washington University and had been hired by the sales and marketing department at the Hilton. He had been doing his stint at the front desk for some three months. When his fellow Hilton employees learned of the accident, they joined his family and friends support group and made numerous visits to him at the trauma center at Emanuel Hospital.

The real story that needs to be told in this age of corporate layoffs, unethical mismanagement and an all-too-frequent uncaring by big business is how the management at the Hilton Portland has handled this situation. We received a call from their director of human resources, Susie Youn, within days after James was hospitalized. She called to offer her hopes and prayers for James' full recovery and to let us know that whether he came back "walking, limping or wheeling in the front door," his job would be waiting for him. Many worries go through one's mind at a time like this, and that call certainly erased one of them.

It turns out that those words were not hollow. The Hilton Portland has welcomed James back with open arms. He has competed for and received a promotion, and the vice president and general manager of the Hilton Portland, Brad Hutton, authorized changes needed to accommodate James' wheelchair in the new office and position he is working in. The company has permitted him to work his schedule so that he has been able to continue his weekly outpatient rehabilitation therapy as well.

I'm happy to report that James is doing well at work. If more companies acted in the spirit of the Hilton Portland, perhaps there would not have been the pressing need for the Americans With Disabilities Act.

When we informed Brad Hutton that we wanted to tell the inspirational story of how his company has taken care of one of its own, he replied that the only story that needs to be told is that of James' positive attitude in facing this adversity. Brad said that when he sees James at work it personally inspires him and the entire Hilton Portland family, knowing the courage and determination our son has shown in working hard to get better and to continue to be a productive and valued member of their staff.

Roger and Laurie Parsons live in Vancouver.



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