Shari McDowell has been a valued member of the DS&L team as the Sales & Marketing Assistant since May, 2010.

Shari’s husband, Tom McDowell, had a tragic series of accidents. On August 28, 2018, while recovering from having a cardiac stent procedure, Tom fell and injured his leg, while Shari was at work, requiring a trip to the hospital. At the emergency room after examination and testing, the hospital personnel felt that Tom had only suffered a significant hip contusion and released him to go home.  Relaxing at home from the ordeal, and while walking from the deck into the kitchen, Tom fell and landed directly on his forehead. He suffered a severe gash on his forehead and was not able to move any part of his body. Tom was rushed to UMASS Medical in Worcester where it was learned that the impact and force of his fall caused him to break his neck.

After emergency surgery to insert titanium rods in his neck/spine to stabilize his injury, Tom was in ICU and back and forth from a regular room to ICU due to complications over the next 3 weeks. While he was able to speak and breathe on his own, he had no ability to move his limbs and very little feeling in any limbs. After the initial 3 weeks of his hospitalization, he was moved to Spaulding Rehab Hospital in Charlestown to begin rehab while dealing with ongoing medical issues.   Tom has regained some very limited use of his arms, but no fine motor skills. He has some minor feeling in both of his legs at this time. His ongoing care and therapy will be a huge financial and emotional expense on the family, but they are committed to do what they need to in order to be able to provide for his care, comfort and as complete of a recovery as is possible.