Hello, my name is Lauren Costa. Anthony Leem has been my close friend since we met on the first day of high school. I am creating this fund to support him with the insurmountable expenses that are to come as he recovers from life-altering injuries after a horrible accident. As I write this, Anthony is still in the ICU and will remain there for the foreseeable future as his doctors cannot guarantee his prognosis or a full recovery at this time.

 

On the evening of Friday, December 10th, Anthony was driving his moped when he struck a median. Thankfully, the helmet he was wearing saved his life. Upon arrival to the emergency room, he was a full trauma activation and received multiple units of blood. He was immediately intubated to protect his airway from closing off due to severe facial fractures. Once he was stabilized, diagnostic imaging found a severely shattered jaw (mandible and maxilla), a small nasal fracture, and damage to the left orbital bone. He sustained an open compound fracture to his right radius and ulna. Additionally, he was found to have compression fractures in his thoracic spine at T6 & T7. Along with his orthopedic injuries, Anthony sustained multiple facial lacerations and scattered abrasions to his neck, chest, and limbs. The impact either knocked out or chipped the teeth in the front of his mouth.

 

On Saturday, Anthony had his first operation to repair the broken arm. Two plates and twelve screws were used to stabilize both broken bones in his right forearm. Anthony is right-handed and his activity and strength will be limited for 6 to 8 weeks as this area heals. The compression fractures in his mid-back were determined to be stable for now, but may require surgery in the future.

 

On Sunday, December 12th, Anthony underwent a 5-hour operation to begin the process of repairing the facial fractures. Three additional teeth were removed due to a lack of blood supply. Facial lacerations were closed and his surgical incision required packing to reduce blood loss. Anthony’s jaw was wired shut in order to promote healing, and we have been told it will be in place for at least 4 weeks. He remained intubated afterward to ensure his stability due to the critical risk to his airway. This surgery was very intensive, but it was successful.

 

The surgeon estimates that Anthony will need 3 to 5 additional surgeries over the course of the next year or two in an attempt to fully repair all of the facial fractures. This estimate does not even include all the additional facial surgeries he will need, such as cosmetic/plastics to restore his facial features, scar tissue treatment, and a possible repair of the nasal fracture and the left orbit. He will need extensive dental work to repair or replace the damaged/missing teeth in the front of his mouth. Anthony’s vision will need to be evaluated when the swelling reduces to ensure it is intact.

 

It is clear that Anthony has a very, very long recovery ahead- his doctors have been unable to assure us that he will make a full recovery from the injuries he has sustained, but we hold on to hope for the best possible outcome- still, we have not been given a timeline. It is very likely he will need over a year to completely repair his jaw from an orthopedic standpoint, and even longer for the rest of the necessary facial surgeries and dental work.

 

This leads me back to my intention for creating this fund. Anthony would never ask for your financial help, which is why I am doing so on his behalf. I humbly ask, as you are able, that you please support Anthony during his severe time of need. The future is uncertain, but what is certain is that Anthony is surrounded by a beautiful community of people from all walks of life that love and value him.

 

As you may know, Anthony’s only living family is his younger sister, Alissa. She has been so strong and brave, even during the time that Anthony’s survival was not guaranteed. She has been proactive in researching his insurance benefits and qualifications and unfortunately discovered that Anthony does not qualify for COBRA coverage. Donations to this fund will assist Anthony with upcoming medical and living expenses so he can focus solely on his recovery, as he will be unable to work for a year (at the very least) while he undergoes and recovers from further operations, treatments, physical therapy, and rehabilitation.

 

Anthony Leem, at his core, is generous, creative, adventurous, and compassionate. I am convinced that he could find a way to make anyone laugh. Despite this major, life-changing event, his future is bright and he still has so much life ahead of him. Let’s rally together and give Anthony hope for the future by supporting him in his time of need.

 

In addition, I ask that you share this page and Anthony’s story with others in your life.

 

Thank you in advance for supporting my best friend. He is fighting to get better day by day and I have hope that he will eventually have a sense of normalcy in his life again, even if it is years into the future.