A18 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2015
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BIKE:
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recovering.
“He came out walking,
talking and everything was
normal,” Padilla said. “We
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day (after the surgery), and
on the sixth morning he had
a major stroke on both sides
of his brain. The stroke is
basically why he can’t talk,
why he can’t walk and, ba-
sically, isn’t normal any-
more. We still don’t know
what happened. The doctors
call Carsyn really unique
because they have talked
to doctors all over the U.S.,
and they have never heard
of this happening.”
After Carsyn’s stroke,
doctors said he would prob-
ably only live eight to 12
months. At 4 and a half,
however, he has exceeded
their expectations.
“Carsyn has had a rough
road,” Padilla said. “He’s
beaten the odds so far, and
he’s lived a year and a half
past the doctor’s expec-
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er. They basically said he
would be brain dead, which
CELEBRATION:
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status last year, and spon-
sors are already signing on.
Organizer George Ander-
son said he has received
pledges for $6,750 but
expects to raise $8,000 or
more.
Hermiston Parks &
Recreation Director Lar-
ry Fetter, who is helping
organize the event, said
a company has already
signed a contract to pay
$1,500 to operate a carni-
val at the event. The car-
nival is new to this year’s
celebration, and Fetter
said it will operate the
Friday and Saturday pre-
ceding the Sunday event,
as well.
“It’s going to be re-
ally exciting,” De La
Cruz said. “We want to
make this event as fami-
ly friendly as possible. If
Camiryn Culp, left, will get the chance to ride her bike beside her 4-year-old twin brother,
Carsyn, if the family raises enough funds to purchase a bike with a wheelchair in front that
their mother could pedal. The family has raised more than $3,000 of the roughly $5,500 cost.
For more information or to donate, visit www.gofundme.com/carsyns-bike.
Carsyn Culp sits on the lap of
his grandmother, Marie Fraser,
Wednesday in Hermiston. After
suffering a massive stroke after
having a brain tumor surgically
removed, Culp is unable to walk
or talk, but his mother, Aubbree
Padilla, hopes a wheelchair bike
that she would pedal would
allow him to enjoy a ride beside
his twin sister, Camiryn. To
donate, visit www.gofundme.
com/carsyns-bike.
he’s not. He still smiles.
The only way he commu-
nicates is he cries, but he
still enjoys stuff just like
any other little kid does.
His dad (Derek Culp) and
myself basically gave him
the chance of showing us
what he could do instead
of taking him home to let
him die peacefully like the
doctors said that we should
have. It’s pretty amazing to
see how he shows us every
day how strong he is.”
Carsyn Culp visits a doc-
ing with it,” Padilla said. “He
seems to be so much more
happy, more comfortable.”
She hopes he will soon
enjoy the fresh air in his face
when he is strapped into the
wheelchair bike, which costs
about $5,500 including ship-
kids want to go, their par-
ents will show up.”
Fiesta Foods Manag-
er Leo Leal and Hermis-
ton police officer Erica
Sandoval have contacted
a variety of people who
were interested in par-
ticipating in the parade,
which will begin at 11:30
a.m.
“It’s a community
event, so we want to get
as many people involved
as possible,” Leal said.
“This thing is going to be
pretty big.”
De La Cruz said he
expects the parade to be
about four times the size
of last year’s parade, and
the event will also feature
live music from Banda
Arkangel R-15, Broncos
del Norte and Forasteros
de Tierra Caliente.
“Those are the big ones
that are going to make
the attraction,” he said.
“They’re top-shelf bands.
All three are coming from
across the order. They
come and do tours in the
United States. Around
that time, they’re going
to be touring the country,
so we’re going to bring
them over to the Cinco de
Mayo.”
The winner of a Cinco
de Mayo pageant, which
will take place prior to
festivities, will also be
announced at the celebra-
tion.
People
interested
in participating in this
year’s festival should
contact De La Cruz, 541-
701-4696, or Virginia
Rome,
541-314-3257,
for sponsorships; Leal,
509-412-2674, or San-
doval, 541-561-5544, for
the parade; Saul Olvera,
541-720-6024, or Jessica
Arellano, 541-701-4878,
for vendors; or Clara Be-
as-Fitzgerald, 541-561-
4541, for the pageant.
SEAN HART PHOTOS
tor in Portland each month,
and a recent hip surgery has
made him more comfortable.
“With him not walking,
his hips basically popped out,
both of them, so they went in
and screwed them back into
place, and he’s doing amaz-
ping. The family has already
raised more than half of the
funds needed. According to
the GoFundMe website cre-
ated to purchase the bike,
33 people have contributed
$3,160 in 15 days.
“It’s amazing how many
people have stepped in and
already donated,” Padil-
la said. “I’m hopeful, very
hopeful that we’ll be able to
reach that goal. It will give
him and his sister something
else to bond over, so that’s
one of the really big reasons
why I hope that we reach our
goal.”
Padilla said Carsyn’s
medical problems have been
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wheelchair bike will provide
the opportunity to interact as
a family.
“I have my good days and
bad, but Derek and I love our
kids, so we’ll do anything
for them,” she said. “That’s
basically how we cope with
it. Some days are tougher
than others, but it’s brought
our family closer in so many
ways.”
To donate or learn more
about the fundraising cam-
paign, visit http://www.go-
fundme.com/carsyns-bike.
SEAN HART PHOTO
This tentative site plan for the Cinco de Mayo celebration in Hermiston shows the location of a
carnival new to this year’s event, which will take place May 3. The top right building is Hermis-
ton City Hall.