Support Josh's Recovery from a Traumatic Brain Injury

Hi everyone, my brother Josh was hit by a car Wednesday August 21st, while riding his bike. He was brought by ambulance to a hospital in Chicago, after moving there from Maine less than a year ago. Josh has been in the hospital for weeks now, after sustaining a TBI(traumatic brain injury) as well as a few broken bones. Doctors are hopeful he’ll make as close to a full recovery as possible, but it’s a long(and expensive) road full of rehab and plenty of doctor’s visits. Josh is young and strong and we have to be optimistic, but it’s been a scary few weeks already.

Josh has been a chef in restaurants for years now, which he loves doing and if you’re lucky enough to have eaten his food you know he’s so passionate about it. It may be a long time until he’s able to work again, as his job is very demanding both mentally and physically. It may be quite some time until he’s ready to return. This has taken an emotional and financial toll on Josh already.

There is a chance that Josh will have to come back to Maine to do his rehabilitation, which means more stress and a lot more money. We are hopeful that the insurance company of the person that hit him will cover most of his medical bills, but there are so many other expenses that won’t be covered. It will also be a long time until we see any of that money to cover any of his bills, it will more than likely be a very lengthy process. These expenses include missed work, transportation, a place for him to stay in Maine as he does his rehab, and any other unexpected expenses(I’m sure there will be quite a few, brain injuries are wildly unpredictable.) His girlfriend Alice, who we love very much, has been covering a lot of these expenses already.

Many people have expressed to me that they want to help Josh but just don’t know how, and I figured this would be a great way. Josh is very loved in many communities, he’s truly my favorite person on this planet and I just want to make sure he can get what he needs during this difficult time. Thank you everyone for checking in with me, asking how Josh is doing, and for the numerous ways you’ve all shown support.

With love, Emma Harmon + Joshua Harmon