Dan Kmiec Family Fund
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Request for Donations
Dan Kmiec has been a machinist with the City of Chicago for over 20 years servicing vehicles at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
On August 12th Dan was in an accident . He was struck by a vehicle while riding his motorcycle. Dan was very fortunate and did not suffer any life threatening injuries. However he did have some severe nerve issues that required neck surgery where doctors removed two discs and fused two vertebrae to prevent the rubbing on his spinal cord that could have caused paralysis.
Our family is very grateful that the surgery went well, and that Dan is on the road to recovery. His recovery will last for at least 3 additional months, but it is uncertain when he will be able to return to his physically demanding job. Dan is home with his family while his neck heals. Dan is lucky to receive some short term disability benefits from his job with the city, which is less than 50% of his regular pay. He does however need to pay for health insurance premiums which are about $1500 a month so he can continue his much needed medical care. This is in addition to his mortgage payments for thier Northwest side home and other fixed expenses. Despite being financially responsible, these types of unexpected incidents can have significant impacts on a family and could happen to any of us.
We are asking for your generosity to help in any small way toward a fund for this major expense. Dan is a generous and hard-working husband, father, son, brother, cousin and friend to many. He and his family always brings fun and laughter to those around them. We hope that you find it in your heart to help them through this difficult time and ease the burden until Dan gets 100% better and back to work.
Although it is his brother and sister that are writing this, with consent from Dan, his family will receive all funds.
A portion of the funds received above the specified goal needed will be donated to Start Seeing Motorcycles or similar distracted driving prevention and/or sharing the roads with motorcyclists non-profit organizations.
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News Articles
Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Tribune
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The Story
Nice Summer Night Motorcycle Ride Turns Tragic
By Carl Kmiec
After tucking his two beautiful daughters in for the night out in the clubhouse he built for them, Dan Kmiec decided to enjoy the beautiful fall night by taking is vintage 1985 Kawasaki GPZ 750 motorcycle for a short ride. Although Dan has vast experience riding, starting on dirt bikes from the age of 10 to countless races at various race tracks in the area, he was no match for a distracted driver. Just after midnight August 12, 2017, 10 to 15 mins after leaving his home, Dan was just cruising along at 30 mph when he was very nearly killed. A car was traveling in the opposite direction and made a last minute left-hand turn right into the side of him forcing him into the car driver’s windshield head first!
After going into the windshield, he rolled off the car’s hood and laid completely unresponsive with a pool of blood around his head. The paramedics responded very quickly and the accident was assumed a fatality, so Major Accidents were called in. After checking Dan’s vital signs, they amazingly found he was alive, and he was rushed to Lutheran General Hospital being Level One Trauma Center. The police report did state that when the driver made the sudden Left Hand she was looking at the GPS and never saw the motorcycle. So although it was a tragic accident, it is one that may have been avoided had it not been for a distracted driver.
Amazingly, Dan received a bunch of staples to close the gash on the back of his head and had a concussion with some swelling, but it looked like there was no brain bleeding and we was going to be ok. His other injuries were some cuts, scrapes, and bruises and a severely twisted knee. He is truly one lucky and tough person to survive a near fatal hit to the head. It is obvious that there is a reason for him still being with us!
Dan Kmiec has been a machinist with the City of Chicago for over 20 years servicing vehicles at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
On August 12th Dan was in an accident . He was struck by a vehicle while riding his motorcycle. Dan was very fortunate and did not suffer any life threatening injuries. However he did have some severe nerve issues that required neck surgery where doctors removed two discs and fused two vertebrae to prevent the rubbing on his spinal cord that could have caused paralysis.
Our family is very grateful that the surgery went well, and that Dan is on the road to recovery. His recovery will last for at least 3 additional months, but it is uncertain when he will be able to return to his physically demanding job. Dan is home with his family while his neck heals. Dan is lucky to receive some short term disability benefits from his job with the city, which is less than 50% of his regular pay. He does however need to pay for health insurance premiums which are about $1500 a month so he can continue his much needed medical care. This is in addition to his mortgage payments for thier Northwest side home and other fixed expenses. Despite being financially responsible, these types of unexpected incidents can have significant impacts on a family and could happen to any of us.
We are asking for your generosity to help in any small way toward a fund for this major expense. Dan is a generous and hard-working husband, father, son, brother, cousin and friend to many. He and his family always brings fun and laughter to those around them. We hope that you find it in your heart to help them through this difficult time and ease the burden until Dan gets 100% better and back to work.
Although it is his brother and sister that are writing this, with consent from Dan, his family will receive all funds.
A portion of the funds received above the specified goal needed will be donated to Start Seeing Motorcycles or similar distracted driving prevention and/or sharing the roads with motorcyclists non-profit organizations.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
News Articles
Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Tribune
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
The Story
Nice Summer Night Motorcycle Ride Turns Tragic
By Carl Kmiec
After tucking his two beautiful daughters in for the night out in the clubhouse he built for them, Dan Kmiec decided to enjoy the beautiful fall night by taking is vintage 1985 Kawasaki GPZ 750 motorcycle for a short ride. Although Dan has vast experience riding, starting on dirt bikes from the age of 10 to countless races at various race tracks in the area, he was no match for a distracted driver. Just after midnight August 12, 2017, 10 to 15 mins after leaving his home, Dan was just cruising along at 30 mph when he was very nearly killed. A car was traveling in the opposite direction and made a last minute left-hand turn right into the side of him forcing him into the car driver’s windshield head first!
After going into the windshield, he rolled off the car’s hood and laid completely unresponsive with a pool of blood around his head. The paramedics responded very quickly and the accident was assumed a fatality, so Major Accidents were called in. After checking Dan’s vital signs, they amazingly found he was alive, and he was rushed to Lutheran General Hospital being Level One Trauma Center. The police report did state that when the driver made the sudden Left Hand she was looking at the GPS and never saw the motorcycle. So although it was a tragic accident, it is one that may have been avoided had it not been for a distracted driver.
Amazingly, Dan received a bunch of staples to close the gash on the back of his head and had a concussion with some swelling, but it looked like there was no brain bleeding and we was going to be ok. His other injuries were some cuts, scrapes, and bruises and a severely twisted knee. He is truly one lucky and tough person to survive a near fatal hit to the head. It is obvious that there is a reason for him still being with us!
Organizer
Daniel Kmiec
Organizer
Chicago, IL
