Matt DeRiggi "Keep The Faith" Fund
Donation protected
Matthew Gerard DeRiggi of Toms River, NJ is a 17-year-old with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). DMD is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood. Duchenne results in a progressive loss of muscle strength and is caused by a mutation in the dystrophin gene. Because dystrophin is absent, the muscle cells are easily damaged. The progressive muscle weakness leads to serious medical problems, particularly issues relating to the heart and lungs.
Unfortunately, Matt broke his hip in August 2010 and has been confined to a wheelchair since then. Throughout the surgeries, treatments, hospital visits, and pain, Matt has remained a caring young man. During Hurricane Sandy, he insisted his mom make hot chocolate and bring him to distribute it to emergency personnel. Also, although it is very difficult for him to write, in 2014, he and his family continued their tradition of writing out and sending Christmas cards to our troops overseas. When you see the struggles Matt has on a daily basis with eating, maneuvering a computer mouse to play a game or everyday tasks, you realize what a selfless, caring individual he is.
Matt is an extraordinary young man. Despite his inability to play organized sports, Matt has developed a passion for all sports. Over the last 7 years, he has developed a special relationship with the Rutgers football team. The coaches, players, alumni and athletic department have embraced the DeRiggi family as their own. Because of this touching relationship with the Rutgers football program, Matt has many friends who are currently playing in the NFL. Matt’s love of sports does not end with Rutgers football but includes Major League Baseball, college basketball, in particular March Madness, and the Olympics, to name a few.
This brings us to the reason for this “Go Fund Me” page. The mounting medical costs and treatments, especially over the past few years, have been overwhelming for the DeRiggi family. This includes a specialized van with a chair lift, a wheelchair ramp for their house, expansion of the first floor bathroom to make it wheelchair accessible, medical treatments at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and travel/living expenses during those visits. Many of these items are not covered by insurance or only partially covered. The out-of-pocket expenses are extremely high and hard to keep ahead of. In addition to his other issues, last month Matt had to have major surgery on his spine. His years in a wheelchair caused his spine to develop a curvature that was so severe his internal organs were being compressed. This negatively affected both his heart and lung function. Matt’s surgery was a success and he was released from the hospital on February 18th. Upon his arrival at home, they soon realized he needed to have his room on the main floor of their home. Matt’s room is currently on the second floor, but getting him up and down the stairs is not feasible. The only way to accommodate Matt is to construct an addition to their house. The cost will be an overwhelming hardship for the family, even more so than they have had to face in the days following his surgery. With the lives touched by this extraordinary young man, we ask that you contribute to help ease the burden on this truly special family so they can accommodate their beloved son.
Please contribute whatever you can and “KTF” Keep the Faith!
Unfortunately, Matt broke his hip in August 2010 and has been confined to a wheelchair since then. Throughout the surgeries, treatments, hospital visits, and pain, Matt has remained a caring young man. During Hurricane Sandy, he insisted his mom make hot chocolate and bring him to distribute it to emergency personnel. Also, although it is very difficult for him to write, in 2014, he and his family continued their tradition of writing out and sending Christmas cards to our troops overseas. When you see the struggles Matt has on a daily basis with eating, maneuvering a computer mouse to play a game or everyday tasks, you realize what a selfless, caring individual he is.
Matt is an extraordinary young man. Despite his inability to play organized sports, Matt has developed a passion for all sports. Over the last 7 years, he has developed a special relationship with the Rutgers football team. The coaches, players, alumni and athletic department have embraced the DeRiggi family as their own. Because of this touching relationship with the Rutgers football program, Matt has many friends who are currently playing in the NFL. Matt’s love of sports does not end with Rutgers football but includes Major League Baseball, college basketball, in particular March Madness, and the Olympics, to name a few.
This brings us to the reason for this “Go Fund Me” page. The mounting medical costs and treatments, especially over the past few years, have been overwhelming for the DeRiggi family. This includes a specialized van with a chair lift, a wheelchair ramp for their house, expansion of the first floor bathroom to make it wheelchair accessible, medical treatments at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and travel/living expenses during those visits. Many of these items are not covered by insurance or only partially covered. The out-of-pocket expenses are extremely high and hard to keep ahead of. In addition to his other issues, last month Matt had to have major surgery on his spine. His years in a wheelchair caused his spine to develop a curvature that was so severe his internal organs were being compressed. This negatively affected both his heart and lung function. Matt’s surgery was a success and he was released from the hospital on February 18th. Upon his arrival at home, they soon realized he needed to have his room on the main floor of their home. Matt’s room is currently on the second floor, but getting him up and down the stairs is not feasible. The only way to accommodate Matt is to construct an addition to their house. The cost will be an overwhelming hardship for the family, even more so than they have had to face in the days following his surgery. With the lives touched by this extraordinary young man, we ask that you contribute to help ease the burden on this truly special family so they can accommodate their beloved son.
Please contribute whatever you can and “KTF” Keep the Faith!
Organizer
Chris Falkiewicz
Organizer
Brick, NJ
