Sgt StaMaria was critically injured in a training accident while on duty in New Jersey on February 23, 2007. Five Marines were involved in the accident, one was killed at the scene, another died upon arrival at the hospital, leaving three Marines in the Intensive Care Unit. A call was placed from their Commanding Officer to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund at 0600am on a Sunday morning to request assistance for the family members coming in from across the United States and from the Philipines. Within hours assistance was on its way!
Sgt StaMaria sustained a head injury and was in a medically induced coma. There was fear he would not fully recover; perhaps never walk or talk again. The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund assisted family members of all the Marines immediately, and continue to assist the StaMaria family to this day. His mom Nena and sister Giselle came from the Phillipines to be with him and the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund has been paying for their living accommodations for the past 8 months to allow them to remain at Sgt StaMaria’s bedside to provide the needed support and love to encourage Sgt StaMaria’s recovery. He is doing remarkably well! After intensive therapy, he is learning to walk and talk again and the doctors often refer to his case as a miracle. Just last week he insisted on getting on the phone with someone at the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund and he uttered the words ”Thank you, I love you”.