Bring Back Mike’s Smile

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Erick, and I’m raising money for my friend Mike to get him through what will be the toughest 8 weeks of his life.

Mike is many things to me: coworker, hockey teammate, friend and unofficial lil’ bro. He’s a tough guy and has survived several hockey injuries in the past. So when he crumbled to the ground after getting hit with a wicked slap shot, I initially didn’t panic. I’ve seen it a few times before, and he usually walks it off.

But then something looked off, and to my horror, I realized that he was hit in the mouth. Getting hit in the mouth with a puck hit by a big slap shot is a hockey player’s worst nightmare. It rarely happens. But when it does, the effects are devastating, and can last a lifetime.

Mike immediately knew he lost multiple teeth. His lip was hanging loose. Both teams were scouring the rink floor trying to find his missing teeth, but we knew it wasn’t going to help. We knew that he was going to experience excruciating pain in the following hours and days.

What we didn’t know was that he was soon going to be hit by an even bigger blow: uncovered medical bills. Mike had to undergo surgery the next day and had his fractured jaw wired shut. For the next 8 weeks, he will need to eat out of a syringe, won’t be able to speak nor open his mouth and endure pain and frustration that he won’t even be able to express through words.

We cannot help him with his physical pain, but we can help ease his mental pain with this fundraiser. His surgery alone cost $11,000 of which only $1,500 is covered by insurance. And this is just the start. He still has a long road ahead to a full recovery with more procedures and expenses, including teeth replacement.

Help Mike find some peace of mind as he battles through the next 8 weeks of his life.

Help bring back his smile again.