JEFFERSON CITY -- The life of the Romph family in Jefferson City has turned upside down since January after their 5-year-old daughter Margaret was severly injured in a car accident. But, in these recent months, the Romphs have seen an outpouring of community support.
Before the Jan. 2 car accident, Margaret Romph was an active, cheerleading 5-year-old. Although she is now paralyzed from the neck down and constantly on a ventilator, her parents say she's still Margaret.
"The nurses laughed today. 'Why are you changing clothes? What you had on was cute,'" says Margaret's mother Sherline Romph. "And all I could do was look at them and say, that's my Margaret."
While Margaret has been transferred to St. Louis, volunteers from the Romph's church, First Baptist, have been giving their time to prepare her home for her return.
"You know, knowing the family for so long, we've had friendships with them for over 20 years and their daughter is the same age as my daughter," says family friend and contractor Fred Rosslan. "So when something like that happens, its easy to place yourself in their situation."
The addition to the home will provide Margaret with a therapy room, a handicap accessible bathroom, a lift down to the basement, and a bedroom on the home's main level.
Materials were also donated for the project, from a host of mid-Missouri companies.
Fundraisers are also being held across the Capital City for the Margaret Romph Benefit Fund, like the one Wednesday and Thursday night at Longhorn Steakhouse.
Local law enforcement was on hand at Longhorn, collecting extra donations for little Margaret.
"The parents are employees of the Highway Patrol and there's a sense there of wanting to help take care of one of their own and we want to help them in that," says Cole County Sheriff Greg White.
"We're very tight, all three local law enforcement agencies," says Jefferson City Police Capt. Doug Shoemaker. " We all work together very well and we consider ourselves on big family."
The Romphs say the generosity of the Jefferson City community has been nothing but incredible.
"All I can say is thank you," says Sherline. "And I can't even say thank you enough."
"It's like I don't know what else to say," says Margaret's father Eric Romph. "Two words just doesn't seem like enough to really entail everything that's gone on."
The benefit at Longhorn Steakhouse will be held again Thursday evening from 4-8 p.m. Ten percent of restaurant sales and extra donations will be collected for Margaret's medical expenses.
Those expenses now include providing a way to get to a pediatric hospital in Maryland that specializes in spinal cord injuries. Margaret will be transferred there in mid-April and stay for about three months. The Romph's insurance will not cover those transportation costs.
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