Benefit for John Dolan

My brother, John Dolan, was seriously injured on September 3, 2012 when he was assaulted by an assailant wielding a baseball bat. The attack occurred on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where John has lived, worked, and been a part of the community for many, many years. Apart from lending his stage and sound skills and equipment to various neighborhood shows and events, John is probably best known as a musician, from such bands as The Plungers, Wig Hat, Otis, Cotton and The Chore Boys, Pigshit Engine, D60, the Sea Monkeys, Choking Victim, and Dog That Bites Everyone. When John was assaulted his neck was broken, and the fractured vertebrae lacerated a major artery. This caused a life-threatening blood clot for which he continues to need daily blood thinning medication and regular blood tests. His nose was fractured and his skull was split open, leaving two scars, the largest of which runs from the top of his head to the bridge of his nose, and required several hundred stitches. He spent four days stabilizing in the ER Trauma (ICU) unit at Bellevue Hospital, and another seven days hospitalized. After being released, he subsequently developed Bell's Palsy, a form of facial paralysis brought on by the nerve damage he suffered, which caused him to be hospitalized for two more days. Despite the treatments he received, the effects of the Bell's Palsy may be permanent to some extent. In addition to the initial physical trauma and the ongoing pain and discomfort resulting from it, there are also secondary traumas, including post-concussion syndrome, a mild form of traumatic brain injury that could take years to heal, and of course, there are emotional scars and post-traumatic stress. At the time of the attack, John had just begun to get back on his feet again after struggling financially. Now he cannot work or collect unemployment, he has lost his health insurance, he has been unable to collect disability or receive any other assistance, and as a result is on the verge of losing his home. Because of Hurricane Sandy's disastrous impact on Bellevue Hospital, John's medical case management is now falling through the cracks. We have to fight for every ounce of care he needs, and the medical bills and those for his living expenses are piling up, creating additional anxiety and despair. His attacker has been charged with first degree felony assault, and the case is moving slowly through the judicial system. In the meantime, my brother, the victim of a violent crime who has already lost so much due to this incident, needs help not going completely under. John comes from a loving, caring, supportive family, but none of us are wealthy.
Thank you for reading this and for your support.




Please do not discuss the legal case or name John's assailant on this site.