Hi everyone - Please don’t dive at the beach, or anywhere with unknown depths. On May 23rd I tried it and left the beach in an ambulance, paralyzed from the neck down. My injury is called C-5 incomplete, a cervical vertebra fracture. After a successful spinal surgery and twelve days in ICU, I was transferred to Mount Sinai’s acute spinal rehabilitation unit. I’ve been here since June 4th and am working hard to get my body back, so to speak. The team of doctors, therapists and caregivers have been outstanding and we are thrilled with the progress I’ve been making so far. We’re seeing rapid return in my legs’ strength and mobility, core stability is returning relatively quickly and I’ve started to regain movement in my hands. Leaps and bounds from a motionless body! (Although I’m not leaping or bounding just yet.) I’m “typing” this on July 2nd with voice-to-text and some finger swiping nearly one month since my admission, and I’m expecting to report even more progress a month from now.  

Despite the great progress I’m making, the healing process will extend past my time here at Mount Sinai. This GoFundMe will be applied to the costs of medical/assistive equipment as well as continued therapy outside insurance coverage. If you feel inclined, please consider donating your support as well as your Love in any form: hold thoughts of me whole and healthy in your heart, keep me in your prayers, send some vibes, light a candle. Whatever it is, it is being received.  

Thank you. I love you.