Samantha Gott was building her career in the HVAC industry as an Air Distribution Estimating Supervisor for LONG Building Technologies when a ground-level fall in December 2025 changed the course of her life

The fall resulted in a C4 spinous fracture and a C3-4 ligamentous injury. Samantha underwent C3-7 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion surgery and began the difficult process of adjusting to life with a significant spinal cord injury.

As Samantha prepared for her eventual return home from inpatient rehabilitation, accessibility quickly became an immediate concern. Her multilevel home did not have a bedroom or full bathroom on the main floor, creating significant barriers to safely navigating her home.

As she began identifying the equipment and modifications she would need, Samantha explained, “Due to my current state, I will be needing a number of things, chief among them right now is a chair lift.”

The accident also created a significant financial strain for Samantha and her family.

“As the primary income earner, my reduced income has required my husband to postpone his planned retirement and continue working to help meet essential financial obligations,” she said.

“While these changes represent a significant financial burden for our family, they are essential for my safety, independence, and long-term recovery,” Samantha said. “Any financial assistance would have a meaningful and lasting impact on our ability to adapt to this new reality.”

Samantha learned about The Joseph Groh Foundation through colleagues at LONG Building Technologies and Krueger-HVAC. LONG Building Technologies is a manufacturer’s representative with offices throughout the Intermountain West and represents a range of HVAC products, including Lennox commercial products, Krueger air distribution products, and Ruskin air management and control products.

With the support of The Joseph Groh Foundation and its donors, Samantha and her family were able to address two of the most immediate barriers to her return home.

The Foundation provided Samantha with a Harmar Pinnacle SL300 chair lift for her home, as well as an accessible van equipped with a lowered floor, manual folding ramp with carpet flooring and retractable straps.

While the transition has brought significant challenges, the assistance has helped Samantha and her family create a safer and more accessible path forward.

The support provided by The Joseph Groh Foundation donors is helping Samantha regain mobility and navigate the transition home as she and her family adjust to a new way of living.

Learn more about this year’s grant recipients by visiting our website josephgrohfoundation.org.

About The Joseph Groh Foundation: Established in 2009, The Joseph Groh Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals within the contracting and construction trades who face permanent, truly life-altering disabilities. To date, the foundation has provided financial assistance totaling $1.5 million to 150 families with connections to the contracting and construction trades in 38 states. Assistance has ranged from wheelchair accessible vans and home/bath remodels to assistive technology, rehab equipment, home repairs, and more. The foundation also offers a pathway for contractors to offer short and long-term disability insurance to contractors through its website. The Foundation’s inception is rooted in a profound event on Father’s Day of 2008. Joe Groh, an HVAC industry veteran, experienced a life-altering accident during a bicycle ride, resulting in high-level quadriplegia. Despite the challenges, Joe’s resilience inspired the creation of this foundation. His story and our mission can be explored further on our website

at www.josephgrohfoundation.org.