Stuntman Carl Ciarfalio Medical Fundraiser

Carl Ciarfalio became a member of the Stuntmen's Association of Motion Pictures in 1985 and served two terms as its president from 1992 until 1996. He served as Governor of the Stunt Peer Group at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for two terms, which he helped to form in the year 2000. In 2001, Carl was a key player in establishing the first Emmy Award for Outstanding Stunt Coordination. Carl was instrumental in the formation of the annual Taurus World Stunt Awards and the Taurus Foundation. He was the stunt coordinator for the inaugural event and served on the WSA Blue Ribbon Committee.

Pounding the ground caught up with our beloved stunt brother. He has experienced a cumulative traumatic spine injury that has robbed him of his ability to move on his own.

Carl is currently in a rehabilitation hospital where he is receiving intensive medical and physical therapy care. Carl is battling pneumonia, congestive heart failure, pressure wounds and immobility.

Carl’s challenges kicked off during Covid when his hip failed. In the 3 years since, he’s moved between ambulances, emergency rooms, hospital rooms, surgical suites and rehabilitation facilities. Unfortunately, he has experienced significant complications with each procedure.

In his latest surgery, Carl had a Spinal Cord Stimulator by Boston Scientific inserted into his spine. It was intended to interrupt pain signals between the brain and spine thus allowing him more movement. 3 days after surgery, Carl lost all feeling. He went back under the knife where they removed the device and conducted an MRI while he was still sedated. They discovered lumbar stenosis and a hematoma pressing on his spine. The surgeon immediately conducted laminectomies on three lumbar (lower back) vertebrae and removed the hematoma.

This is all in addition to surgeries in 2022: an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion followed by 3 cervical (neck) laminectomies. Laminectomy is a type of surgery in which a surgeon removes part or all of the vertebral bone surrounding the spine.

There is no coverage available to keep Carl in this excellent rehab hospital. Instead, the plan is to send him home at the end of July and transport him back and forth to ongoing specialized spinal injury physical therapy.

To accomplish this, Carl needs specialized equipment and transportation and home care.

Carl is working as hard as he always has - only now he’s fully dependent on technology and immensely talented healers and physical therapists. God Bless them.

Carl’s greatest wish is to be mobile and experience life once again.

To achieve that, we humbly request your help.