On Sunday, December 20th, 2015, a dad - Chris Petronino - took his son and two other children for a hike near a local reservoir.  While they were hiking, a bear attacked Chris and dragged him down into a cave.  Chris fought back with a rock hammer, but the bear severely wounded him.  Thankfully, his son and the other children were uninjured and were able to call to get help.  After over an hour, Chris was rescued and airlifted to Morristown Hospital in Morristown, NJ.

He was in the hospital and then at a sub-acute facility receiving treatment - for a total of over 21 days.  Now that Chris is at home (see attached picture from the day he finally returned home), he’ll need nursing services to assist with wound care which is often not covered by health insurance on the frequency his doctor prescribes.

Chris volunteers his time in his community at the local school, as a Scout leader, and is known for helping other individuals in need.

 Now he needs our help.  

We are starting this fund to help pay for medical costs that will not be covered by insurance and other expenses the family will incur as a result of his injuries.  Any amount will be greatly appreciated.