Local 476 president Mark Hogan reports that 476 business agent Paul Oddo, who was paralyzed as a result of a brain aneurism, “has full use of both legs and arms and he’s talking and he’s resting comfortably.” There’s no word on how long Oddo will remain at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles,* Hogan added.
Oddo was rushed to the Medical Center after suffering the aneurism during the night of Nov. 9 in his Doubletree Suites in Santa Monica. He had been on a sales trip with IFO director Brenda Sexton and a Local 714 representative.
Sexton said she “immediately knew something was very seriously wrong” when Oddo failed to show up for an early morning meeting, and did not answer his cell phone.
Sexton immediately called 476 in Chicago and insisted the office call the hotel to check Oddo’s room. The hotel went to the wrong room and reported he wasn’t there, prompting Sexton to insist they return to the room.
Upon rechecking, within 15 minutes, the hotel realized its prior mistake and broke into the room and called an ambulance to rush the unconscious Oddo to the Medical Center.
Last December Oddo was elected business agent for a fourth three-year term, which expires in 2006. Interim business agent is Local 476 president Mark Hogan.
* Send get well cards to Paul Oddo at UCLA Medical Center 7 W ICU, 10833 LeConte Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90095. Local 476’s phone is 773/775-5300; Email, Local476@foxvalley.net.
