Close-knit neighbors rehabilitate friend struck by rare virus
By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers POWER OF LOVE- Frank and Kathy Ayala have been married for 20 years. In March of this year, Frank was diagnosed with Guilliain-Barré syndrome, a condition that left him unable to walk.

Frank Ayala struggles as he's helped out of his wheelchair and onto his feet. He takes hold of the walker in front of him while his wife, Kathy, and his brother-in-law, Kenny Dion, brace him.

Ayala takes slow steps with his walker, all the while followed by Ross Bonfiglio, who pushes the wheelchair behind him in case he falls.

This routine is Ayala's daily physical therapy. It's required for him to recover from the recent paralysis he developed after being diagnosed with GuillainBarré syndrome nearly six months ago.

Still, this walk is never taken in a clinic. Bonfiglio is Ayala's 83year-old neighbor. Olympic Street neighbors like Tammy Lopez and Randy Schindele also come out and help him some days. Other days they follow and cheer him on as he goes down the street.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers HELPING HANDS, FEET- Frank Ayala, with his wife, Kathy, brother-in-law Kenny Dion, right, and neighbor Ross Bonfiglio (who follows Ayala) fights to take a step. The group's daily routine includes walking Ayala up and down Olympic Street. With their help, he hopes he will be able to walk again.

"They're great," Frank Ayala said. "It feels good for them to take the time out of their lives to help me."

Ayala, 47, was an ironworker before he fell ill in March. He came down with a typical flu, but two weeks later he began to experience numbness in his hands and feet.

After a visit to the doctor, Ayala learned that he'd contracted an uncommon virus that would eventually attack his nervous system, causing problems with physical sensation and muscle control. Within 48 hours of the diagnosis, he was completely paralyzed.

"It's been pretty devastating," said Debbie Dion, Ayala's sisterinlaw. "The insurance companies are saying they've reached their limits, so (Kathy) does all his care 24/7. She has probably saved that man's life."

Debbie, who owns Simi Valley Therapies West clinic, said Ayala's chances of making a full recovery are good. About 94 percent of those diagnosed with the disease recover, but it could take two years or more- and it will take regular rehabilitation, she said.

The Ayalas' insurance no longer covers going to physical therapy, so Kathy has given up her job to take care of her husband. She works on occupational and speech therapy with him at home. He goes to Dion's clinic three times a week and has therapy in the pool. His daily walk also helps keep his muscles from going into atrophy.

"The neighbors come outside and help my husband walk every day," Kathy said. "If I need something, my neighbors and my family are here every day."

Ross and Joyce Bonfiglio live across the street from the Ayalas. They've lived on Olympic Street for more than 40 years and have known Frank since he was 16. Ross is often the person following Frank with the wheelchair.

"My husband's very dedicated to helping Frank," Joyce said. "He's always on call. He's always available. He looks out the window to see if they're gathering."

Bonfiglio said Olympic Street is a close-knit neighborhood. The residents there have annual block parties and make it a point to look out for each other.

"They (pick up our) paper when we go somewhere," Bonfiglio said. "They watch for us. It's a really nice neighborhood. I'm really happy."

When Ayala was first diagnosed, he spent three months in intensive care. He couldn't move, couldn't swallow and couldn't breathe. He lost more than 50 pounds. Kathy and the Dions were always at the hospital and took shifts staying with him.

Bonfiglio said she noticed something was wrong when she stopped seeing the Ayalas altogether.

"(Frank) used to work on his cars outside and all of a sudden I didn't see any activity," she said. "He'd been (at the hospital) about a week by the time I realized nothing was going on at their house. I was really sorry to hear about it."

They found out from another neighbor what had happened. When the Ayalas' insurance stopped providing for physical therapy, their options were to take him to a convalescent home or to continue the therapy themselves. "We came home," Kathy said. "It was going to take too long for everything to heal and come back."

Since then, family and neighbors have been taking time out of their days to help in any way they can. Kenny Dion, Schindele and a few other friends came together recently to build a patio cover so Frank would have somewhere to sit outside.

Schindele also built ramps going in and out of the house so Frank could come and go in his wheelchair.

"I don't know how to thank them," Kathy said. "Some people don't even know their neighbors. Every day it gets a little better by the grace of God of everybody helping us."

The worst of the nerve damage has taken its course through Ayala's body and his family and friends agree he's made great progress.

One day, Ayala walked a distance of 13 houses down the middle of Olympic Street. He made it all the way to the stop sign at the end of the block and up the shallow grade of the intersection. Some of his neighbors came outside to watch, while others in their cars slowed down behind him.

At the end of the session, his family and neighbors were pleased with the day's progress.

"You're looking good, Frank!" they said.

To make a donation or to offer other help to the family, call Kathy at (805) 578-0132.