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IDAHO FALLS – An Idaho Falls native who was paralyzed in a skiing accident in Switzerland on Feb. 3 will no longer be stranded in Europe after community members and friends stepped up to help him secure medical transport back to the United States.
Justin Holman broke his back "in a catastrophic spinal cord injury … shattering his C6 vertebrae" a week and a half ago, his family said in a news release, "paralyzing him from the waist down and leaving him unable to move or control his hands or fingers."
He received "emergency neck fusion surgery," at a hospital in Bern but did not receive authorization from his insurer, UnitedHealthcare, for any rehabilitation in Europe or for medical transport back to the United States, the family said in the release.
"Every single day that goes by without rehabilitation is a day that Justin loses in his fight to regain movement and independence," his brother Stetson Holman shared in the release. "He needs to come home now."
However, a GoFundMe* set up by the family on Thursday took off online, and within 18 hours, enough funding was secured to bring Justin back home.
"Justin will be transported bed to bed — an ambulance will take him from the hospital in Bern, Switzerland, to the airport, where he will fly with two medical professionals by his side for the entire journey," a GoFundMe update stated on Friday. "If all goes as planned, Justin and (his wife) Jaquoy will arrive in Denver on Sunday!"
In Denver, Justin will be cared for by "in-network specialists at one of the leading U.S. spinal cord rehabilitation centers," the family said.
As of noon Friday, the family had raised $48,000 of $186,000. The majority has come in small gifts of $10, $20 or $50.
Holman still needs the support of friends and others as he begins a long road to recovery with "hundreds of thousands of dollars in outstanding bills for the air ambulance ride to the hospital," his family shared.
The family thanks all who have contributed so far "as Justin begins the next phase of his fight," Stetson said.
*KSL.com does not assure money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
