Medical Help for the Ultimate (Anime) Con Man

Many of you attend anime conventions across the country. If you have attended conventions over the last 30 years, you may have seen Wade Wiles as a vendor for Anime Palace. Wade does a crazy 46 conventions a year solo (I know that's crazy, right?). He drives, sets up, and sells it all without a helper. Wade has an amazing work ethic and has always been an integral part of the midwest anime scene.

On Sunday evening, due to the atrocious Anime NYC load-in (we waited 10 hours to get our stuff in the building not including set-up time), Wade was loading out through the front of the venue. In order to do this, one must cart all of their stuff to a tiny elevator and load it into the front circle of Javitz. This process took about 2.5 hours and Wade was almost done. He was heading back into the building and while I did not see exactly what happened, from what we have pieced together through other people Wade tripped and fell forward and hit his head on the escalator. After he passed out, I saw the paramedics aiding and administering chest compressions, an Ambu bag, and I was later told they used electric shock paddles as well. He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital where he has been in ICU since Sunday 11/20/2023.

We have been hearing updates from Wade's Sister and his boss. They will slowly be trying to wake him up soon, but the road to recovery will be a long and slow process. I'm told he has no insurance and he will need money to support himself in the future while he recovers. Not only is he a US navy veteran, but Wade is an incredibly hard-working guy. While not working one of the 46 shows a year that he does, he works door dash, uber eats, and other delivery services to survive. So I'm asking the anime community to come together and help out one of your own. Wade's ICU visit will be incredibly expensive, far more than the $50,000 I hope to raise for him, but it's a start. Let's see what we can do for the Ultimate (Anime) Con(vention) Man.