Help My Dad Adnan Walk With Me Again

Dear friends and family, I am organizing this fundraiser in support of my dad, Adnan.

Adnan was headed to work in the early morning of January 17th, when he slid on a patch of ice causing him to crash head-on into a jersey barrier. When the emergency personnel arrived on the scene, they found his car burning, with him pinned in the car - conscious and aware but paralyzed. They were able to extinguish the fire, cut through the wreck, and get him out safely. He arrived at the trauma unit in critical condition, suffering from a broken neck, fractured ribs, and both legs shattered. He was placed on life-support, in and out of consciousness, without function or sensation in his limbs.

By the early afternoon, the medical team was preparing him for surgery in the trauma surgical unit. My brother was able to see him briefly before surgery, where he pleaded for him to pinch his toes, and hold his hands because he could not feel or move them. As they wheeled him to the operating room he told my brother to "hang in there, and don't worry about me."

The first surgery lasted from around 3PM until after 9PM. The neurosurgeon aimed to decompress his spine and stabilize his neck. His spinal cord was damaged, which explained the paralysis and was causing his heart rate and blood pressure to fall. At one point in the surgery, his vitals fell so low that the doctors could no longer detect a pulse. Adnan was at the point of no return. The surgeon made the decision to continue working, quickly relieving pressure on his spinal cord and allowing the team to bring my dad back.

In the early morning of January 18, he was back in the OR, this time to start repairing the multiple major breaks in his legs. This surgery went a lot smoother, and we were able to visit him again in the afternoon. He was intubated and unable to speak. Being able to hear us but not respond was overwhelming for him, causing his vitals to spike and sending all of the medical alarms into a frenzy. As much as we wanted to be there with him, it seemed that it was causing more harm than good.

On January 19th his breathing tube was removed, and he has been able to whisper and communicate with us. He is slowly starting to regain function in his limbs, it’s very minimal but he is happy that “everything still works” He is still in a lot of pain despite the medical team giving him the maximum pain medication they can. He has started to make some jokes and laugh. When we asked where he is finding the strength to laugh with broken ribs he said "I have no choice but to laugh, it hurts too much to cry."

He is resting now, stable but still in the ICU where he will stay for the foreseeable future, and preparing for multiple surgeries next week. The doctors are optimistic about his progress so far, and believe he has a high chance to eventually regain some mobility. That said his recovery will be measured not in days, but in weeks and months. Most importantly, he is staying strong and optimistic, and he has a lot of fight left in him. He is my hero.

We are hopeful that his immediate medical bills will be covered by insurance, but the hospital case worker is telling us that they will not cover the months of rehabilitation, care, and living expenses that he is facing. It will be a long time before my dad will be able to live on his own, let alone work.

My dad is a proud man, and he never complains or asks for help. Anyone who knows Adnan knows that he is the first one to drop everything and help anyone he can. So I am asking on his behalf.

If you are able to help Adnan with a donation at this tragic time, any amount would mean the world. If you are unable to donate, please help by sharing with your friends and loved ones.