Thomas Pirog Recovery Fund

Thomas loves going hiking alone, a way to clear his head and be outside.  On Friday April 15th he went out hiking on a trail he had hiked for years.  He heard of a sauna cave that was down by the Colorado River, just at the base of Hoover Dam.  He lost his footing an fell somewhere between 30-50 feet.  He landed directly on a boulder right next to the water.  He fractured his pelvis, broke his wrist, and compound fractured his upper arm severing his artery, and in turn he was bleeding out fast.  He was alone and needed help.  Boy Scout Troop 737 from Palmdale, California just happend to be canoeing down the river at the time and heard Thomas's cries for help and paddled their way over to him.  They saved his life by applying a tourniquet to his arm to help control the bleeding.  They got him into a canoe an begain paddling him back up the river against the current since there is no cell phone service they had to act fast.  Since it was such a windy day the flight for life helicopter couldnt make a safe transition from the canoe so a near by boat offered to take him closer to the dam where the helicopter was awaiting his arrival.  Officer Rowe of the Hoover Dam Police Department climbed down to help Thomas to the helicopter where he was then airlifted to UMC Hospital.  He has aready had three surgeries to repair his arm and still needs one more.  He spent about three weeks in the hospital and is starting the journey of a long recovery.  We are all so thankful he is alive to tell this treacherous story, and are sincerly grateful for anyone who can donate towards medical bills, living expenses and whatever else its going to take to get this guy back on good health.