Sister’s love spurs generosity
$5000 raised in days for injured rider
A SISTER’S love for her brother, who suffered traumatic head injuries while riding home from work, has elicited a huge response after a GoFundMe page she created for him raised $5000 in a short period of time.
Kingaroy’s Mel Downey wrote on a GoFundMe page that her brother, Brendan Hodges, was riding home from work on January 8 when he hit a log on his bike, causing him to hit his head on the side of the pavement.
“Even though he was wearing protective gear including a stack helmet, he has a traumatic brain injury. He fractured his skull, fractured his eye socket, and ruptured a major artery in his brain,” she wrote.
“Even though he is laying in ICU in an induced coma, he still has bills to pay including rent, and there is a good chance it will be a long time before he can work again.
“On top of this he may need extra care or rehabilitation, and we really want to keep this difficult time as stress-free for him as possible.”
Mr Hodges has since emerged from his coma, and Mrs Downey said he was “blown away by all the support and visitors, as well as donations and well-wishes”.
According to the GoFundMe page, $5020 was raised from 76 people in just over a week. Mr Hodges posted on Facebook: “I want to ... personally thank every single person who has helped me in any way over the past two weeks since my accident happened.”