Seventeen-year-old Eddie Moreno was the backup point guard at Alamo Heights High School. “He was one of the key reasons the team had such a successful [31-5] season,” his coach Charlie Boggess told KSAT soon after Eddie was shot in the jaw the morning of March 26 in what’s been described as an expression of road-rage violence around 410 & Broadway. As yet, no arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
After the shooting, Eddie — who turned 18 on July 20 — was paralyzed from the neck down. He remained in Universal City’s ICU until a little over three weeks ago, when he was sent to Kindred Hospital, where he now awaits the time when he can return home.
“At this time he is conscious,” his aunt Stella Moreno told the Current July 27. “He can hear you. He can see you. He’s still not able to speak, but he was able to move his head just slightly. He’s very coherent. He’s still not able to walk. But he is in excellent spirits.” That is, despite the fact that he will be on a ventilator for the rest of his life. But before he can go back home, his family will need to greatly modify their house to adapt to Eddie’s needs. “If the tragic event was not heart-wrenching enough, it is even more devastating to my heart that Eddie will not even be able to go into his room unless funds are donated to make the renovation possible,” Moreno said in a statement released by the family.
On top of mounting medical bills, the renovations are expected to cost “tens of thousands” of dollars, according to Moreno.
Several individuals and private corporations have already helped the family, and more help is on the way — the Mothership, a local self-proclaimed Led Zeppelin “feature” (not tribute) band, will do a benefit show for Eddie Thursday at Sam’s Burger Joint.
Albert Steves, the band’s guitarist, is himself a graduate and former basketball player of Alamo Heights. When the father of one of Eddie’s varsity teammates asked him if the band would be willing to do a benefit for Eddie, Steves didn’t think twice.
“I said, ‘Absolutely, we’d love to do that,’” Steves told the Current over the phone.
Mothership (Steves on guitar, Sean Finch on vocals, Mary Bolner on drums, Brent Ferguson on bass, Mitch Meyer on harmonica, and Kerry Neubauer on keyboards) will play between 25 and 30 songs from all Zep eras.
“We’ve got about a three-hour show,” Steves said. “We also bring in our own light show, which we think adds a lot to the music and the concert.”
But Mothership — whose members have ample local experience but have been together as a band for only seven months — doesn’t like to be known as a Led Zeppelin “tribute” band.
“We’re not a tribute band,” said Steves. “We’re a Led Zeppelin feature band. In other words, we don’t try to dress up like Led Zeppelin, but we play all Led Zeppelin music. We all grew up listening to Led Zeppelin and classic rock, and that’s how I learned how to play guitar and that’s how the singer learned to sing. Zeppelin was sort of a template of how we learned to play music.
“We’re really looking forward to putting on a good show. We’re very flattered to be asked to [do] this, and we just want a lot of people to show up and show their support for Eddie and his family.”
But don’t feel too sorry for Eddie. Even though he can’t speak well, he can communicate clearly. In an emotional interview in mid-July with WOAI, when asked about his future challenges, a firm Eddie was able to utter three words.
“Bring it on.”•
Bring Eddie Home, The Benefit Concert for Eddie Moreno featuring Mothership
$10 at the door (all proceeds donated to the family)
7pm Thu, August 4
Sam’s Burger Joint
330 E Grayson
(210) 223-2830
samsburgerjoint.com
HOW TO HELP
Besides Mothership’s benefit show, the family set up the following web address so people can gain details on how to help with Eddie’s two most urgent necessities: medical bills and house repairs. “We are in need of someone to donate insulation and also for any professionals out there who want to donate their time to do tape and float,” said Stella Moreno, Eddie’s aunt. “That would be greatly appreciated.”
For more info, visit sites.google.com/site/operationbringeddiehome
Eddie Moreno Trust, Broadway Bank
