A tragic accident in the Dominican Republic this month has left a local man hospitalized with a long road to recovery laying ahead of him.
27 yr old David Ritchie, well known in the area as a former Patrick Fogarty student and employee at local Tim Hortons in Orillia and Gravenhurst is in hospital currently in Florida and looking to come home.
A GoFund me account started by his supporters has so far raised over $11,000 to help with his non- insurance care and personal care costs.
Ritchie’s girlfriend Teegan Wilson says the accident happened February 8th when he misjudged the depth of a pool while diving resulting in two fractured vertebrates. Ritchie underwent emergency surgery in the Dominican where the vertebrates were replaced. He was then put into a medically induced coma for two days before being transported to Florida where he remains on a ventilator unit to help with his breathing.
Wilson says his recovery will be a slow process…(above audio)
Wilson says the community support for Ritchie has been great and throughout the process, she’s learned so much more about him, which has made her fall in love with him even more.
Wilson says she’s learned that Ritchie has always been there to help other people through their hard times and she says now it’s our turn to help return the favour.
To help donate to Ritchie’s recovery, visit the Gofund Me page at gf.me/u/qw5vpa
