Phil's Medical Fund

Phil in Minnesota
Clementine before

Our friend, roommate, and brother Phillip Pexa was hit but a truck while riding his motorcycle on October 3rd 2014. He was able to lay his bike down to try to avoid the accident but ended up wedged under the truck with his right leg pinned between the bike and the ground.  His ankle is completely shattered and because of the severity of the break, there is a possibility that the bones will have to be fused together and he will have no movement of his ankle. At the very least he will have several surgeries to try to correct his ankle, but the doctors are saying it will never be normal after it’s all said and done. His ability to walk is out of the question for weeks; possibly months, when he is healed Phil will have a difficult time driving on his own and an even more difficult time riding a motorcycle. He has made it clear he WILL ride again, but his ankle is not the only obstacle in the way of that. That being said Phil's motorcycle Clementine (pictured above) is totaled. Once we recover it from the towing company a few of his friends plan on tearing it down and rebuilding her back to her original glory. Phil and Iain Henderson spent countless hours building his bike just the way he wanted it. We want to make sure it is ready to ride when Phil is.

On top of his shattered ankle, Phil fractured his L1 Vertebra and is looking at anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks in a back brace and a good portion of that time in bed. If he is lucky he will not have to have back surgery. The doctors have decided that the back brace is the best option for him at this time. So far he has not been allowed to even roll from side to side. When Phil is not lying flat he will be able to sit upright in a wheelchair for a very limited amount of time. This will be a very difficult time physically and mentally.

Phil, the oldest of 5 children, originally grew up on a farm in Minnesota. Phil also served in the US Army for 4 years and was part of the 82nd airborne division and has survived many dangerous situations defending our country only to be severely injured here at home. He moved to Orlando in August of 2013 where he is currently a student at the Motorcycle Mechanic institute. He is enrolled in the Harley Davidson program and was scheduled to finish at the end of December and Graduate as a certified Harley Davidson Mechanic. If you know anything about Phil you know he is an amazing friend who would drop anything to help out, his sense of humor will keep you laughing for days and his mac and cheese is to die for. Phil is one of a kind.

This accident will severely postpone his graduation as well as leaving him unable to work. He will be out of work, unable to drive, and will need help 24/7. Even making a meal for him is not an option. Once out of the hospital it will be his close friends and family taking care of him, he will also months if not years of physical therapy. He is in a large amount of pain and to watch him struggle is not easy. The driver of the truck did have insurance but at this point we are unsure of what if anything will be covered. The months of medical attention Phil will need is going to be expensive. The last thing we want Phil to worry about is the bills. As many people know when you have been in an accident bills hit at random times and the insurance company isn’t always the fastest to cover or pay out. Phil may also be covered in part by Veterans Affairs but at this point we are not sure they will cover accident related injuries. Some of us feel like we are unable to help Phil and this is our way of trying. So if you take the time to read this, at the very least please keep him in your thoughts and wish for a speedy recovery and please pass it along. This will be a very long recovery for Phil and needs your help more than ever right now.