Joe Wolek's Medical Fund

In celebration of his 54th birthday, Joe travelled to Argentina to experience and document the beautiful country with his camera, his third eye. On Friday 12/08/17, while taking photos along the streets of Buenos Aires, he was attacked by two men attempting to rob him. The assailants were ruthless, stabbing Joe 10 times with wounds to the chest, puncturing his heart and lung. Miraculously, a plain-clothes officer nearby was able to shoot and apprehend one of the criminals, and instantly called an ambulance to rush Joe to a nearby hospital where he underwent immediate surgery. The surgeon who was on-call is one of the best in the country, and was successful in saving Joe despite the severe trauma. Stable but still in a coma, the prognosis was reserved that Joe would make it, with the organ failure and infection atop the list of the numerous risks to his life. And yet, just days after the attack, Joe was brought out of his coma and was able to open his eyes and offer his indelible smile.

As he continues to improve day by day, the focus now shifts to the future and his recovery. Although his healthcare in Buenos Aires is covered as part of Argentinian national healthcare coverage, he still faces ongoing medical care expenses, travel costs and loss of work, a financial hardship that this fund hopes to alleviate.

The very fact that Joe is alive is truly a miracle, and we are all so lucky that he has been given a second chance. As a husband, as a father, as a brother, uncle, friend, neighbour, photographer, he will continue to express and spread his beautiful perspective on the world and life. Please help in getting Joe back on his feet, his camera back in his hands.