Help Bring Randy Olsen Home

Support a beloved teacher, father, and friend in his

fight to recover from a paralyzing spinal injury.

Dear Friends, Neighbors, and Community Members,

We are reaching out today on behalf of Randy Olsen, a dedicated science teacher at Garden City High School, beloved husband, father, and friend, who is facing the greatest challenge of his life.

In January 2025, just before midnight, Randy suffered a devastating fall down the stairs in his home. In an instant, his world changed. Paralyzed from a spinal cord injury, he was rushed by the Mattituck Fire Department EMS and airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital. After emergency surgery and a week in critical condition, doctors gave Randy and his family no guarantee he would ever regain the use of his arms or legs.

Since then, Randy has shown incredible strength, beginning the long and difficult journey of recovery. He spent weeks at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson and is now at Quantum Rehabilitation and Nursing in Middle Island, where he receives intensive physical and occupational therapy three times a day.

His loving wife of 28 years, Laural, an English teacher at Riverhead High School, has taken an extended leave to be by his side every step of the way. She will be returning to work in September. Their adult sons, Tyler and Zach, have also rallied around their dad.

Randy’s prognosis is cautiously hopeful. But the road ahead is long, expensive, and no longer being covered by insurance. Insurance coverage has been a constant battle, with frequent denials and appeals for extended care. Medicaid may offer some help, but it won’t cover the full cost of the care Randy needs, currently more than $500 a day. And that’s just the beginning.

To safely bring Randy home, extensive renovations are required, including widening doorways, installing a wheelchair-accessible bathroom, adding a hospital bed and Hoyer lift, and converting spaces to allow for safe and independent movement. The family is simply not in a financial position to cover these life-changing and necessary expenses, particularly with both Randy and Laural unable to work full-time.

This is where we need your help.

Your donation, no matter the size, will make a meaningful impact on Randy’s recovery and quality of life. Funds raised will go directly toward:

Randy has spent his life helping others—educating young minds, being an active part of his community, and raising a compassionate family. Now, he needs all of us.

Please consider donating, sharing this campaign, or contributing in any way you can.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Friends of Randy Olsen

Nicole B. Brewer, Dawn Grzegorczyk, Deirdre Hawkins,

Sandra Lazar, Jenn Palermo, and Lenore Thomas

Please make checks out to “Randy Olsen” and mail to:

Friends of Randy Olsen

PO Box 73

Mattituck, NY 11952

#RallyForRandy #BringRandyHome