Jared’s Recovery

My name is Maggie Cahill and I am asking for donations to help Jared, boyfriend of my sweet sister in law, on his road to recovery. Here is his story…

On September 28, 2021, Jared was on his way to work when another vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed struck him from behind. The impact from the collision sent him into a lane of on-coming traffic, causing a head-on collision. All of the airbags deployed, the passenger side was crushed, and Jared had to be cut out of the vehicle. He was taken to the hospital for breathing difficulty and eventually transferred to UMC in New Orleans where he was admitted to the Trauma ICU. Testing revealed that he had two fractured vertebrae in his spine, severe contusions on his right lung, a contusion on his diaphragm, and a fractured hand. His spine would need a multi-level fusion but the surgery would have to wait until his breathing improved. Jared had to lie flat on his back to prevent damage to his spinal cord and avoid the possibility of becoming paralyzed. Having to remain in this position and unable to move, his lung filled with fluid causing him to become unresponsive and suffer acute respiratory failure. He was immediately intubated, placed on a ventilator, and fully sedated for two days. After 4 days on the ventilator, and with the medically urgent need to have the back surgery, a Trach was placed into Jared’s windpipe to help with his breathing. Jared was transferred to the CCU at a nearby hospital. His oxygen saturation levels dropped to the low 30s and he developed pneumonia. At this point, the need for surgery was dire – Jared needed to be able to sit up to rid his lung of the fluid, but the risks of respiratory failure and loss of life during surgery were even greater. After 3 days in critical care, the neurological team performed the surgery to fuse the fractured vertebrae. For the first time in 16 scary, long days, Jared was finally able to sit up. With the help of physical therapy, he was able to stand up and begin learning to walk. He remained in the hospital for another two weeks before being transferred to an in-patient rehab for another 3 weeks. He finally came home the day before Thanksgiving. On top of all of the difficulty he was suffering physically and mentally, due to COVID restrictions, Jared was unable to see his two minor children during this time.

The driver who caused the accident, which totaled 4 cars and hospitalized 5 victims, was grossly underinsured. Having only the Louisiana state minimum for insurance coverage means Jared has been left with a hefty medical bill. He is still undergoing both physical and occupational therapy and will continue to incur many more medical bills as a result of this accident. Additionally, Jared will remain out of work and on disability in the months to come. Please consider donating even the smallest amount to help Jared pay his mountain of medical bills.