Aaron's Recovery Fund
Donation protected
Hello to our friends, family, and community. On Sunday, March 19th, our brother Aaron was involved in a mountain biking accident. He was thrown from his bike and landed on his spine, fractured his C5 vertebrae, and injured his spinal cord to the point of paralysis. By the grace of god, he was conscious and was able to yell out for help (he was alone). Within what felt like minutes, a family hiking happen to be in close range and heard him yelling out for help. The family was able to call for help and Aaron was quickly life-flighted to the Intermountain Medical Center where he spent five days in the ICU before being moved to the trauma floor for three days.
Aaron had surgery on Tuesday, the 21st where they fused his C4-C6 vertebrae together. He has some sensation and very limited mobility. He can slightly move his shoulders, right arm, and wrist. Currently, the doctor's prognosis is that due to the level of swelling and trauma to Aaron's spinal cord, he has a 1-2% chance of regaining full mobility.
For those who know Aaron, he has always been a very jovial, kind, and extremely active guy. It has now been a week since the accident, and the gravity of everything is starting to sink in. At only 26 years old, he is extremely overwhelmed by uncertainty but knows he is so loved and his family and friends will be there every moment throughout his journey.
Next Steps: Aaron will be moving to the Neilson Rehabilitation Hospital for inpatient care for the next eight weeks. We are actively looking for housing close by in order to support him through this hard time. For our friends and community that would like to help, we are asking for donations to cover initial out-of-pocket care, as well as any Salt Lake City connections you may have to help us build a community for Aaron and ourselves.
Asks:
- Housing: Our family will be traveling to the Neilson Center in shifts to be close to Aaron during his recovery journey. If you know of an apartment/house near the Neison Center for rent, please let us know.
- Donations: As you can imagine, Aaron is overwhelmed by the cost of everything. He does have insurance, but the cost of care and out-of-pocket expenses are continuing to mount. We will need support as the road to recovery continues.
- Community: If you or someone you love lives in the Salt Lake City area, and would like to send an encouraging word, bring by a meal, or meet our amazing brother Aaron, please reach out! We know that in hard times, community and love are everything.
Our family is absolutely heartbroken right now, but we are remaining optimistic. We truly believe that through love, prayer, and community, anything is possible. Our ask is that you keep Aaron in your thoughts and prayers and continue to do so, and share this page with anyone else who may be able to help.
With love and gratitude,
The Collyer Family
Organizer and beneficiary
Kathleen Collyer
Organizer
American Fork, UT
Aaron Collyer
Beneficiary