Help James with his battle for a new life
James McKeefry (Jimmy Mack) has a huge battle and long road ahead with being a Tetraplegic...
Wellington
James McKeefry, 22, was involved in a life threatening car accident in which one of his friends died in January this year.
Four friends driving home on a Saturday afternoon after swimming on the hottest day of the year for a BBQ, but they never quite made it…
James broke his neck in the accident, shattering C3, C4 and C5 vertebrae leaving him tetraplegic.
James has been intensive care in Christchurch Hospital for eight weeks now. He has had a rough journey over these eight weeks and is still unable to breathe on his own.
His family; mum and dad and two sisters, live in Wellington and are commuting to Christchurch as often as they can. This will be a long and difficult journey for them all. The short term goal is to breathe on his own and get out of ICU, after which James will go to Burwood Hospital for rehabilitation.
James has a vast range of friends from all walks of life who care for him deeply, he is a fun loving, humorous, enthusiastic and intelligent young man, who is highly spirited and who has a great sense of adventure and is awesome to be around. He is a sportsman playing rugby, touch rugby, skateboarding and surfing. He loved having a game of golf with his Dad, and going for a dive with his mates for some Paua.
It is almost unthinkable that he will probably never do any of these things again.
James had recently returned to Wellington after working in Christchurch for four years as a roofer and builder, and had just come back to Wellington to find a job closer to his family.
Jim is very close to his family and many friends, and was a constant source of amusement and fun with his antics. He is also a very caring person, loving animals and nature, and always looking out for those he perceived as less fortunate.
He will need all of his lion-hearted courage and special qualities to endure and overcome this huge challenge in front of him.
Many people have been asking how they can help James, and the family. This family is not one who is comfortable asking for help but is always the first to jump in and help others.
This fund has been set up by his parent’s closest friends to support James and his family whose lives have been so significantly changed forever. It will be used to help with the current costs including travelling to, and staying in Christchurch, and also for the future with alternations to their home and specialist care and equipment that will be needed for James. All funds donated go directly to help support James on his long road to recovery.
While the family continue to juggle work and life in Wellington with being by James’s side in Christchurch as much as they can, we know that taking some of the financial pressure off is one way that we can help.
Thank you all so much for your support.
Please see update page - there is a new update for May 2015 on Jimmy's progress.
Lottie Flowers' involvement (page creator)
We are involved because we are all great friends of James parents and want to help
Latest update
Update for James May 2015 15 May 2015
Hi all
Sorry it’s taken so long to provide this update, but life has been a little crazy…
Firstly, a huge thank you from the bottom of our hearts, to all who have contributed to Jim’s cause. We have been truly humbled by the generosity shown to Jim and ourselves.
Jim is now in his 7th week in the Spinal unit at Burwood Hospital. He is slowly progressing, but if you think where he was 8 weeks ago, in ICU breathing through a tube in his neck, then his progress is mountainous.
He gets hoisted out of bed each morning, into a powered wheelchair, where he has enough movement and strength in his right arm to control it. He still has no movement in his left arm or legs.
He takes himself off to the gym, where he goes through an hour or two of Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy, then does the same each afternoon.
He is still in a lot of pain, but soldiers on through it, working his absolute hardest to make his gains, trying to get non-working limbs working, a millimetre of movement here and a millimetre there- his determination and bravery is inspiring.
Through all of this, Jim has managed to keep his sense of humour and special madness, and he really can be a joy to be around at times, we miss him so much.
Jim still has a very long road to go with his rehabilitation, with another 5 – 6 months in Burwood at least. We hope and pray that he can sustain his drive and enthusiasm to improve, as it must be so hard to try and stay positive to the degree he does. Kia Kaha Jim.
Once again, thank you all so much for your love, prayers and support
Mike, Meg, Josie, Jim and Lily
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