DELCAMBRE, La. ( KLFY ) — Christopher “Tipper” Esponge , who will be sworn in as Declambre’s new mayor next year, said he is ready to lead a community that has always given back to him.
Earlier this month, Esponge defeated incumbent Mayor Pam Blakely in the Nov. 5 elections with 54% votes in his favor. Blakely, who was Delcambre’s first female mayor, served two terms.
According to the Louisiana Secretary of State ‘s website, the unofficial voter turnout was 68.6%.
Esponge, who previously served District 3 as Aldermen, is a Delcambre High School alumnus. He said his life was changed forever when he enlisted in the Army National Guard .
He recalled that in August 2009, at just 18 years old, he broke his neck during basic training at Fort Benning, Ga. He sustained a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the chest down. He said after rehab and therapy in Atlanta and Houston, he moved back home to Delcambre.
His injury, however, never stopped him from accomplishing his goals. He completed an Associate’s Degree from South Louisiana Community College and earned a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.