Help Indian student in coma due to water accident!

Our beloved friend Syed Karimulla, aged 24, an international student from Andhra Pradesh, India studying at St. Louis University met with a water accident in an apartment pool that severely damaged his brain.

Funds raised will go straight towards Karim's family needs-- for the education loans he already has, and immediate expenses raised from this tragedy. A small contribution to them not only provides relief financially but encourages the family in these incredibly difficult times.

On July 8th, he went to pool for the first time with two of his friends and accidentally slipped into the deeper end. Karim not knowing how to swim started drowning and struggling in the water, his friends who are not avid swimmers, tried their best to help him and started screaming out of their lungs for help, unfortunately, no other people were around to rescue him, then they called 911.

Karimulla was pulled out of the water by first responders, it was estimated that he was under the water for about 5 - 8 mins with no pulse but was brought back miraculously in the EMS and rushed to the hospital.

Karim had courageously put up a great fight so far and didn’t give up. Currently, he is still in a coma for about 2 weeks. His brain is severely damaged because of cardiac arrest; besides the brain, other major organs liver and kidneys are also hurt.

On July 19th, doctors at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis MO, informed Karim's parents over the video call to India that they have two options going forward.

Option 1 - Since his brain is severely damaged, he wouldn’t be able to have control of his body and must be kept on life support for the rest of his life. The permanent life support situation will have to go through two major surgeries on his throat and stomach.

Option 2 - Allow him to peacefully pass away by taking off the life support.

It was a difficult decision for parents to go over the options that were given. This morning (July 23rd) they chose to take Karim off life support which is scheduled to happen tomorrow (July 24th).

He is the only child of his elderly parents. This tragic state put his family into a state of shock and shattered all their dreams for Karim.

While in the absence of his parents at the hospital, his friends stood by him to represent his family. Several people have already asked how they can offer support to Karim’s family.

Contributing to this fund is the most useful form of support we all can offer in addition to your prayers.

Family & Friends of Karim

Update: 8/22/2023

As per parents request, we have designated Somasekhara Reddy, Vemireddy Venkata of Virginia (Zip code - 20148) as beneficiary to receive and transfer the funds to them. Parents are family friends with beneficiary for decades.