Sammy's Recovery

edit: Thank you to everyone for your generous support. The whole family feels embraced by your kindness. If you'd like to share a message we can read to Sammy, please leave it here or on Facebook.

Early in the morning on Friday, September 9th, Sammy was climbing on a roof with his friends in Pittsburgh when he reached for a chimney for support. The bricks came loose, crumbling under his hand, and he fell three stories onto concrete, breaking his back in several places and seriously injuring his feet. His doctors tell us he's lucky to be alive, but the road to recovery will be very long.

While the timeline is uncertain, we know the family will need to stay in Pittsburgh for the upcoming weeks while he receives surgeries to repair his acute injuries. After that, he will need long-term support and rehabilitation as he recovers. We aren't sure of the total cost of his future and long-term care, but we know it's likely to be high.

Sammy's parents, Becky and John, are organizing his care to ensure he has every opportunity to heal. As they take care of Sammy, they'll use these funds to support travel, housing in Pittsburgh, and Sammy's future medical and rehabilitation expenses not covered by insurance.

For those who haven't had the joy of meeting him yet--Sammy is a loyal friend, brave adventurer, and passionate animal lover. He's also an athlete, international relations major, violist, and world explorer. In addition to his huge heart, he also has a passion for learning languages--the University of Pittsburgh just awarded him a scholarship to support his course work in Quechua!

Sammy is widely loved and extraordinary in his capacity to love, care and live his life to the fullest. Your support will help him get the care he needs.