Ryan's Recovery Fund

As many of you know, my brother Ryan was a passenger in an almost fatal car accident on November 3rd, which resulted in many broken bones and an amputated leg below the knee. It's been an extraordinarily difficult ordeal for him and our family, and he's still looking at a long road to recovery. 

Detailed summary below, but to keep it short up top: my brother won't be getting any money from the driver's car insurance for several months (maybe a year), and we're looking for some help to cover his basic living expenses and other healthcare needs until the settlement comes through or he's able to work again. We really wish we had the means to cover this as a family, but unfortunately we just can't do it. *Any* amount you can give will be an enormous help.

The accident:
After a night out, one of Ryan's friends offered to give him a ride home. When they entered my mom's subdivision, his friend was driving too fast on a 25mph street, lost control, and crashed into a tree (photo below).



Ryan was life flighted to Metro Hospital in Cleveland while his friend fortunately wasn't injured. The crash left Ryan with two broken ribs, a shattered right arm, a fractured left ankle, a shattered right tibia and fibula, two fractured vertebrae in his neck, two fractured vertebrae in his lower back, and a severed right heel. 

His journey:
The hospital put pins, rods, plates, and all sorts of stuff in my brother to mend his broken bones. And the doctors did their best to save his right heel/foot, but ultimately (and unfortunately) had to amputate his leg below the knee. 

Ryan was in the trauma unit of Metro Hospital for a month, then was transferred to a skilled nursing facility for rehab, then an acute rehab facility for more rehab, and back to another skilled nursing facility. He's waiting for his amputation to heal, then will be fitted with a prosthetic and learn how to walk/use it again before he comes home.

He has good days and bad days, but overall has kept a pretty positive attitude about this throughout it all. 

Why we need GoFundMe:
Because Ryan's friend was at fault for the accident, his insurance company has agreed to issue a modest payout for Ryan's injuries. The lawyer we hired to facilitate this is going to take a sizable amount of that, and Ryan will have to pay back his insurance another portion of that amount (to be determined), leaving him with... not that much. 

We've been told that it will take several months, maybe a year, for the remaining money from the payout to come through for Ryan (and we still don't know how much it will be), which puts an enormous strain on Ryan and our family, who have already gone through so much since this accident happened. 

When Ryan is finally able to leave these rehabs, he will need money for living expenses and other healthcare needs that his insurance won't cover. We're also hoping to switch his gas pedal and brake in his car so he can drive again with his left foot, and we'd like to be able to find him an apartment with accessible amenities for his needs.

We know this journey is going to be a long and difficult one, but we're confident that Ryan will be "back on his feet" soon enough. We really wish we had the means to cover this as a family, but unfortunately we just can't do it. *Any* amount you can give will be an enormous help.