The district community has rallied to help one of their own, with a fundraiser to support Tyrone Smithers raising a “significant amount”.
Tyrone suffered a serious brain injury on August 13 after a simple fall at a friend’s home in Wollongong.
His aunt, Robyn Groutsch, said she and other family members were waiting to have dinner with Tryrone that day, but he did not show for the meal.
“He was playing Xbox at a friend’s house and messaged us to say he would be there in a few minutes,” Mrs Groutsch said.
“He never turned up.
“We’ll never know what really happened unless Tyrone remembers, and at the moment we don’t know if he ever will.”
Tyrone fell down a set of stairs and hit his head, which resulted in a bleed on the brain and a seizure.
He had an emergency operation that removed a piece of his skull, saving his life.
He was initially on life support, but has continued to beat the odds since coming off it and is improving every day.
Tyrone is now able to recognise his family, and is learning to be independent once more.
His loss of memory from the moment of the accident onward is called post-traumatic amnesia, which can last from several weeks or months.
In a statement provided to the Southern Riverina News, Tyrone’s father John, mother Beck and brothers Decklin and Hamish that each day he was getting stronger.
“He is doing occupational therapy, focusing on his movement and development, to help recover, improve and maintain skills for daily living,” the family said.
“The physical therapists are helping to get his body moving again, stretching and working on his left side.
“He has finally taken his first steps last week.”
Tyrone has a team of staff from the hospital assisting in his rehabilitation.
A speech therapist is helping with communication and eating, and the neuropsychologist is helping to manage behaviours and learn coping strategies, for his emotional and psychological wellbeing.
A social worker is helping with care decisions, planning, and facilitates communication among various professionals, care providers and his family.
“He has had a powerful medical team backing him every step of the way, each day from the Wollongong Hospital and The Royal Talbot,” the family said.
Mrs Groutsch said the community response to Tyrone’s injuries had been fantastic.
A fundraiser was held at the Tattersall Hotel in Tocumwal at the weekend.
The family said $30,000 was raised and it was overwhelmed with the community’s generosity.
Family and friends arranged a number of avenues for people to assist in the fundraising, including selling raffle tickets for donated items, creating a Go Fund Me page and providing donation envelopes.
“We had envelopes waiting for us when we arrived at the hotel on Friday,” Mrs Groutsch said.
“There was $1,500 in there when we got there.
“Heidi (McGrath, Tyrone’s aunt) also had people drop off $300 at her work, and a lot of elderly people Beck had a lot to do with at the library gave before the event.”
The Go Fund Me closes October 10 for anyone wishing to still contribute.
Between 300 and 350 were in attendance at the fundraising night, which was suggested by the mother of one of Tyrone’s friends.
“She (Bernie Paganoni) asked if the Tatt’s Friday night raffle, which usually donates the proceeds to local schools, could be donated towards Tyrone,” Robyn said.
“Heidi and I then ran with it and organised the fundraising.”
Other family members - brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins and Tyrone’s nan - also helped plan the fundraiser.
Tyrone wanted to attend the fundraiser in person, but was encouraged not to do so.
His family said they will organise a second event, to thank those who provided auction items and volunteered, following Tyrone’s release from hospital.
His parents were also unable to attend. His father felt the occasion would be too overwhelming, and Tyrone and his mother remain in Melbourne.
Tyrone is receiving care at an acquired brain injury facility in Melbourne.
Before that, he spent several weeks in ICU and made substantial progress towards his recovery.
Mrs Smithers has not left her son’s side since she learned of the incident.
Some of the money raised will cover the costs associated with her staying near to Tyrone in Melbourne.
As well as helping with medical costs, the fundraiser will also seek to support the Wollongong ICU Neuro-Ward which provided treatment to Tyrone.
The aim is to ensure they are adequately armed to assist other families going through similar life altering circumstances, and provide these families access to necessary, but often expensive, equipment.
Tyrone is a fourth generation resident of the district.
He was raised in Tocumwal, where he attended preschool and primary school, before completing high school in Finley
He has been based in Wollongong recently, while studying a Bachelor of Environmental Science.
Before relocating to Wollongong, Tyrone was involved in cricket and football in Tocumwal, football in Barooga and touch football in Finley.
He was also involved in soccer and motocross in Cobram, and would also water-ski, skateboard, played guitar and drums and was a budding singer/songwriter.
Tyrone’s medical team are working toward a complete recovery that will allow him to do all these activities again, but the lasting impacts of his injury are still unknown.