John J. Kross & Family Recovery Fund
Donation protected
Intro
Dear friends, family, and community, we reach out to you from a place of urgency, tragedy and hope. I am Vianna Fahmie. John J. Kross and I met at the London Grill in Fairmount soon after I moved to Philadelphia 9 years ago. I’ve been blessed to call him my best friend ever since. The memories we’ve collected are immensely meaningful to me. The thought of him always fills my heart with delight and adoration. My love for him is like no one I’ve ever loved.
John is a beloved son, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, and friend to so many. If you know John, chances are my fondness is not far off from yours. He’s incredibly talented in so many ways. His character is unparalleled and striking. His presence is comical, witty, and impactful. He means the world to everyone he knows.
Our favorite guy needs your help. He is just 32 years old and he is fighting for his life.
The Devastating Accident
On March 11, 2019, on what was supposed to be a memorable skiing trip with his father in the Pocono Mountains, our dear John J. Kross endured a tragic, life-changing accident. He was rushed to a trauma center via helicopter in critical condition after hitting his head full force and wrapping himself around a tree. Despite wearing a helmet, John suffered from a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) with bleeding and swelling in the brain, leaving him in a coma since the accident. He had seizures and catastrophic strokes. While the head injury has been the main concern, he also had several other injuries including broken ribs and other bones as well as a collapsed lung. He’s had several procedures including a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG/feeding tube), tracheotomy, shunt surgery, MRIs and CT scans to name a few.
True to John’s nature, he is strong and fighting this battle. His amazing family, friends, and medical team have been there day and night to support him and each other. Steps of progress bring glimmers of hope, but it will be a long journey ahead
Timeline of Events & Recommended Treatment
Since the accident, he’s been transferred to multiple medical facilities, to transfer him back to Philadelphia and between hospitals for monitoring. He’s shown some signs of improvement but is still in a coma and fighting every day. Below is a rough timeline of events since the incident:
March 11, 2019 - Accident
April 2, 2019 - Transported to Philadelphia (Good Shepherd) from Scranton
April 10, 2019 - Taken to UPenn for monitoring shunt
April 23, 2019 - Transferred back to Good Shepherd, this time on the rehab floor
Help Make a Difference
The purpose of the fundraiser is to provide support and financial relief for both John J. and his immediate family. Proceeds raised will directly support his family while they care for him and any medical bills, ongoing treatment, and long-term care expenses.
John’s mother, Joani McGarity, has especially had her life come to a halt. She lives in North Carolina but has been in PA by her son’s side day and night. She’s had to leave her job and home. She’s been without income and putting her own needs aside to care for her “Bear”. Unable to afford a place to stay, she’s been sleeping in a pull-out chair and showering at the hospital since she’s been here! I am reminded to count my blessings and be grateful the bed I sleep in and the roof over my head. I cannot imagine the discomfort of almost no privacy nor a good night’s sleep (in a bed, without hospital staff working throughout the night) for this length of time. I worry what it can do to one’s health, especially on top of being there for John, grieving, and coping with this tragedy.
Staying in PA has been costly and with each day the expenses grow. She’s had to make the painful decision to leave her life, job, and home in North Carolina and move to Philadelphia in the very near future as she cares for John’s needs. Between paying her rent in NC, flights, meals, and the bare essentials, her financial resources are exhausted. She’s facing the costs of a storage unit for her belongings in her home down South, fuel, moving costs, and an apartment in the Philadelphia area in the very near future. Let’s
get her to a healthy place of comfort and stability in order for her to be the best caretaker she can be for her son and herself.
Your donations will help tremendously in alleviating the financial burden facing John and his family so they can focus on healing. Please consider the financial, physical, and emotional impact this has had on them. This has turned their world upside down. While what the future holds for John J. is still unknown, it is clear that his road to recovery is going to a long one.
Your donations will help tremendously in alleviating the financial burden facing John and his family so they can focus on healing. Please consider the financial, physical, and emotional impact this has had on them. This has turned their world upside down. While what the future holds for John J. is still unknown, it is clear that his road to recovery is going to a long one.
Any donation you can make, big or small, will go directly to supporting John and his family as they go through this difficult journey and is greatly appreciated.
Other Ways You Can Help
I'll be updating this page often. In the mean time, please share this fundraiser with anyone and everyone. Post to social media using the hashtag #TheOneAndOnlyJonhJ
Organizer and beneficiary
Vianna Fahmie
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA
Pace Kross
Beneficiary
