# Santo Rugger (RIP Santo Rugger) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 6, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579 "2009-05-06T19:54:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 46
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/901 "2011-08-23T21:27:56Z")
I have done donations here at the dope twice before. I am too busy to do it this time or I would offer. What I did was use my paypal account for online contributions and for the check writers had them send them to my house. When it came time to pay out the $ I did a paypal transfer to my bank account and deposited the personal checks. I then had a cashiers check cut and FedExed. All I can say is I hope **Santo** parents are ready for how dopers give when there is a good cause. ---
**Author:** ![SantoRuggersMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@SantoRuggersMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantoRuggersMom)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/902 "2011-08-25T04:18:45Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > LOL - third in the row to suggest Google Calendar :). > > I do love it. My husband and I have a shared calendar where we put family stuff - if I book an appointment for the kids, it shows up on his phone “automagically” and he can edit it or change it as needed. I think we used Google initially with our Wildblue mail account - they are affiliated w/ Gmail I think. I looked at it again and it seems that some improvements have been made. After that we used Cozi (I think) and now we are using Outlook. I think we will revisit Google and see how some of the updates may benefit us. Thanks for the input! ---
**Author:** ![SantoRuggersMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@SantoRuggersMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantoRuggersMom)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/903 "2011-08-25T04:37:20Z")
> [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](#): > > Forgive me for answering for Hockey, but Pat was sporting the dapper cane when we were all hanging out in Vegas, so I think it was after the surgery. Unless he also used a cane prior, in which case I’m not sure. The dates are buried somewhere in the collective Mafia gaming history. > > I also second Google’s Calendar as an online solution. Aww. I felt so sad seeing Pat with his cane. He had surgery near the Memorial Day holiday. He was in so much pain. I remember going in a few times a day to put rolled up towels under his heel to help stretch his leg. He hated it. But I think he secretly like being babied for a short time, then was ready to go back home. He was always so independent. I’m glad you got to spend time with him. He is one of a kind, that’s for sure! ---
**Author:** ![SantoRuggersMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@SantoRuggersMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantoRuggersMom)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/904 "2011-08-25T04:44:36Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Google Calendar might meet your needs. Web-based, free, and you can share the “take care of Pat” calendar with everyone who needs access to it. If you and SR’sDad have smartphones (either iPhones or Androids) or iPod Touches, you can set them up on the handhelds as well as seeing it on your desktop computer. > > There is also a new “appointments” feature, but I haven’t played with that. I think it’s more for someone who wants to make their availability known, and for people to request, well, appointments :). My “smart” phone has been acting rather stupid the past month. It stopped syncing to the server at my work. Yesterday Verizon “helped” me perform a Master reset. This means that my phone has been set back to factory defaults. Now it is just a phone without contacts. I am way too dependent on technology as I am virtually lost without the contact info. ---
**Author:** ![SantoRuggersDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@SantoRuggersDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantoRuggersDad)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/905 "2011-08-28T02:22:40Z")
Sorry for the cut and paste folks. Trying to get back to Santo so we can watch the game. Pat settled in for the night. Caregiver asked Pat if he wanted to watch TV. I told Pat about the game between the Lions and the Patriots, how the Lions were beating the Patriots 17-3 and the Lions having such a ferocious pass rush on Brady. I told Pat about #90 of the Lions and what a beast he is. Pat, he is just trying to be like you. Do you remember when you were a presence on the rugby pitch? No hesitation with thumbs up. You were also an enforcer Pat. Do you remember the time you got in trouble for helping your teammate out when he got in a fight on the pitch? That was the time the guy turned on you and bit you on the head? It’s ok Pat. Everybody that knows Pat Garcia knows something drastic had to have happened for you to fight. Two fast eye blinks on that response. How awesome is that. Hey, best of all, after the rugby match was over, I saw Pat apologize to the ref for his behavior. Now, that IS Pat Garcia. What a great way to wind down for the night. Thanks, Pat, I love man. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/906 "2011-08-28T03:28:19Z")
That is so amazing. He sounds like a true sportsman. Does he have a scar from this biting incident…I think we need to know more 😉 Keep getting better Pat! ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/907 "2011-09-10T22:17:49Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > I have done donations here at the dope twice before. I am too busy to do it this time or I would offer. > What I did was use my paypal account for online contributions and for the check writers had them send them to my house. > When it came time to pay out the $ I did a paypal transfer to my bank account and deposited the personal checks. I then had a cashiers check cut and FedExed. > All I can say is I hope **Santo** parents are ready for how dopers give when there is a good cause. I have literally no idea how to set something like this up, but just wanted to say that I’d gladly contribute if someone does. ---
**Author:** ![SantoRuggersMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@SantoRuggersMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantoRuggersMom)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/908 "2011-11-01T02:25:01Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > That is so amazing. He sounds like a true sportsman. Does he have a scar from this biting incident…I think we need to know more 😉 > > Keep getting better Pat! Yes he does have a scar; you can see it when his head is shaved. Along with the scar from stitches he got when he was three while roller skating in the kitchen! Pat was always such a gentleman. Once during club wrestling when he was in high school, a boy who was only 10 years old but weighed 170 pounds had to wrestle in Pat’s division. I felt so bad for the boy, because he lost every match by being pinned immediately and always cried afterwards. He was so much younger than the other kids in that weight class. Pat wrestled him for quite a while and eventually pinned him. The little boy cried and cried. From across the gym, I saw this very large man go towards Pat with the little boy. I really couldn’t believe that the father was going to tell Pat off for pinnng his son. Afterwards when I asked Pat what happened, he said that the man thanked him for letting his son wrestle and for giving him a chance to practice his skills before pinning him. One of my many proud moments. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/909 "2011-11-01T02:38:35Z")
That’s a lovely story, **SRM**. StG ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/910 "2011-11-01T04:03:34Z")
Wonderful story! ---
**Author:** ![azraiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@azraiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/azraiel)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/911 "2011-11-24T18:08:37Z")
Happy Thanksgiving to **SantoFam**. I wasn’t active when this thread was started, nor did I interact with **Santo** on this board. But I just spent a very emotional hour reading through this thread’s entirety, and it was a wonderful Thanksgiving gift. At the very least, it reaffirmed for me what a special place this board can be. Bless you, **SantoMom**. Bless you, **SantoDad**. May this holiday season see even more of your son with you. ---
**Author:** ![SantoRuggersMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@SantoRuggersMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantoRuggersMom)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2011, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/912 "2011-11-26T05:36:43Z")
> [@azraiel](#): > > Happy Thanksgiving to **SantoFam**. > > I wasn’t active when this thread was started, nor did I interact with **Santo** on this board. But I just spent a very emotional hour reading through this thread’s entirety, and it was a wonderful Thanksgiving gift. At the very least, it reaffirmed for me what a special place this board can be. > > Bless you, **SantoMom**. Bless you, **SantoDad**. May this holiday season see even more of your son with you. Thank you for your kind words and for thinking of our family. I have to say that holidays are the absolute hardest for me. It is hard not to think of our son as he was before, so full of life and living it to the fullest. Recovery from a TBI is slow and arduous and there are days that I think we won’t make it through. That said, as Pat improves we are elated by each little step towards his recovery. The support we have received from Patrick’s Straight Dope family has been huge and has helped us more than once to keep it together. Thank you to all of you and hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/913 "2012-01-01T19:43:40Z")
**SantoRuggersMom** , How’s Pat doing? How was his Christmas & New Years? Tripler Enquiring minds wanna know. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/914 "2012-01-01T19:46:18Z")
I hope 2012 is a year of progress for Pat! I actually think of him fairly frequently, most often in the morning when I’m in the shower. Tell him a naked woman is thinking of him; that should make him smile! Best wishes to the whole family. ---
**Author:** ![SantoRuggersMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@SantoRuggersMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantoRuggersMom)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/915 "2012-01-05T03:19:27Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > **SantoRuggersMom** , > > How’s Pat doing? How was his Christmas & New Years? > > Tripler > Enquiring minds wanna know. 😃 The holidays are always a reminder of how much we miss Pat’s vivacious personality. That said, we tried really hard this year to enjoy as many of past Christmas rituals as we could. We watched sappy Christmas movies, drank eggnog while decorating the tree, played Christmas music, opened our gifts and our stockings all on schedule. We also enjoyed tamales which I know were always a big hit with Santo. I always bought extra (homemade by my great neighbor!) and sent home a few dozen for him. It hurts that he’s not able to eat yet (and I don’t think pork and red chili will be healthy choices for him immediately after he starts eating). But we continue to talk to him about how much he is progressing and how far he has come. His swallowing continues to improve and changes are so subtle sometimes, we almost don’t realize that something has changed. Pat nearly always turns toward us when we approach him; he has a funny look on his face like he’s saying, “What are you doing here?” It seems odd, but I think it is an improvement in his awareness of his surroundings or he is at least trying to figure something out. It is apparent to me that he listens intently to everything we say. In fact, I suspect that his hearing abilities have become more acute in order to compensate for the other senses that aren’t functioning as well. Unless he is sound asleep, he is awakened by every footstep or voice in the hall at night. For those of you following the Prayers for Patrick page on Facebook, I posted that he has mastered the art of popping bubblewrap. It has taken him a while to get his thumb and finger placement just right to be able to actually pop them instead of squeezing the air out of them without a sound. He doesn’t give up and keeps trying anything we ask of him until he becomes too fatigued to try anymore. We look forward to this year and continue our prayers and hopefulness that Santo will continue to progress. In the meantime, thanks for keeping up with our family and Pat’s progress. As SantoRuggersDad says, “We endeavor to persevere.” Happy New Year! ---
**Author:** ![SantoRuggersMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@SantoRuggersMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantoRuggersMom)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/916 "2012-01-05T03:23:12Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > I hope 2012 is a year of progress for Pat! I actually think of him fairly frequently, most often in the morning when I’m in the shower. Tell him a naked woman is thinking of him; that should make him smile! Best wishes to the whole family. Woo hoo! That most certainly will interest him! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/917 "2012-01-05T08:46:11Z")
I’m very glad to hear of his continued progress. Here’s for more this year! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/918 "2012-01-05T14:22:46Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > Up there somewhere, \*\*Pyper \*\*mentioned that \*\*Santo \*\*might really benefit from an iPad. I thought this was an astonishingly good idea, and I also thought that us Dopers would love to see that he got one. In that vein, I contacted \*\*TubaDiva \*\*about posting a new thread with the goal of collecting donations - she ran it past the other mods, and the response was an enthusiastic “Yes!” I’m not on the Facebook page, I think… is there anywhere else one can donate money to help with Pat’s recovery/care? ---
**Author:** ![SantoRuggersMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@SantoRuggersMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantoRuggersMom)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/920 "2012-01-08T03:53:27Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I’m not on the Facebook page, I think… is there anywhere else one can donate money to help with Pat’s recovery/care? I’ve been researching what it takes to setup a PayPal account and it seems doable. I recently made a donation for someone using my credit card through PayPal and it was very easy. When I get a chance I’ll do a little more reading and let you all know. Here is the group on facebook - [Facebook - log in or sign up](https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/81543675142/) ---
**Author:** ![SantoRuggersMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@SantoRuggersMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantoRuggersMom)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579/921 "2012-01-08T04:02:36Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I’m not on the Facebook page, I think… is there anywhere else one can donate money to help with Pat’s recovery/care? There is also an account at Wells Fargo that was set up for him by a friend when he first became injured. It is simply - Patrick Garcia Donation Account. And thanks for thinking of Pat. Each day is a struggle for us emotionally, but somedays are just overwhelming. It always helps to know that people are thinking of Pat and hoping for his recovery. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579.md?page=45) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/santo-rugger-rip-santo-rugger/495579.md?page=47)