HOUSTON – One west Houston family is determined to help their loved one who has dedicated his life to serve others.
Through Hurricane Harvey, John Sanborn, an Army veteran, helped keep people fed. His wife said her husband suffered from a freak accident. For more than a month now, he's been in a coma, and his family is hoping the communities he's helped can now help him too.
"He always put others before himself," said Norma Sanborn who is married to 50-year-old John.
Sanborn enlisted in the U.S. Army when he was 18 years old and served for five years. He'd continue to take a new life in the food industry, dedicating his time to help feed people in need.
But instead of being in a kitchen, he is now in a hospital bed, where he's been in a coma. Bradley stood over his father's hospital bed, as he's done every day for the past 4 1/2Â weeks.Â
"Whether it's the little twitch of his hand or him opening his eyes, we'll take anything," said his 17-year-old son, Bradley.
Bradley, a senior student at Alief Independent School District, will graduate this year, and he hopes his father would be able to make it.
"He's taught me how to be strong. It would be great to have him there," said Bradley. "He's just been a man that's helped people whether it be Hurricane Harvey or a random car accident on the street."
Almost immediately during Hurricane Harvey, the veteran led his team to set up cooking stations to feed Harvey survivors and especially those who were tasked to help people firsthand. He would bring his children to teach them about service.
"Whenever there was anyone we could see that needs our help, he taught my siblings, my family and I that it's just our human duty to help these people," said Bradley. "We actually went to help the first responders. His team, along with restaurant company Levy Restaurants, went to set up a bunch of tables, cots, anything to help these people like the American Red Cross or any first responders."
On Feb. 25, Norma, Bradley and his siblings lives would change.
"It was so devastating," said Norma.
It was a Sunday and the family was getting ready for church, when John went out to check on the gutters. A woman came running to their door telling them to call 911.
"I heard a loud knock on the door and this lady was saying, 'Call 911! I think this was your husband, and he fell on the ground'," Norma said.
He was rushed to the hospital and showed little signs of life.
"It was a traumatic brain injury it was very, very severe and he was in very critical condition. He's had a lot of issues," said his 23-year-old daughter Janine Sanborn.
John has had pneumonia, kidney failure and could not breathe on his own. However, he's made major comebacks.
"He's now breathing on his own, he's opening his eyes, it seems like sometimes he'll hear," said Janine. "It's all been improving and the doctors already know that he's in there and that he can wake up."
For the first time, his family says, John was able to squeeze a loved one's hands multiple times during several requests.
"My dad is the strongest man I know. I have no doubt he will pull through," said Bradley.
However, doctors do not have any guarantee if or when he'll wake up. Even so, the family said it will be a long road.
"It is hard to adjust and we'll never go back to that and we know that," said Bradley.
The family hopes to keep him getting medical care as long as possible, hopeful he will pull through, however, the medical bills, they said, are racking up.
"My dad was the breadwinner for the family. He provided for all of us," said Janine.'
The family set up a GoFundMe page, which has already helped raise more than $27,000. The family said they may need much more if he stays in the hospital.