Crowdfund campaign started for Dick’s Den patron hit by a stray bullet
On Monday night, Maxwell Williams, 24, was in the audience for a concert at Dick’s Den when a stray bullet from a drive-by shooting pierced the window and lodged in his back, severing his spinal cord.
“Hey all. I’m writing this from my bed at OSU hospital now. The last 12 hours have been a whirlwind and the scariest time of my life. Just wanted to say that I’m OK, I’m in good hands, and Max Button was a fantastic drummer last night,” Williams wrote in a Reddit comment the day after the shooting. “The bullet struck directly in the spine, and I immediately lost all feeling in my core [and] lower body. I was able to hold myself up with my arms (thank God I still have them) but the prognosis for any recovery of function in my legs is… Well, the doctor didn’t say zero?”
In the aftermath, friends have established a GoFundMe campaign to help defray costs associated “with surgeries, physical therapy and other accommodations” that Williams will need in what will likely be a long recovery process. You can donate to the fund here.
For his part, Williams has displayed a remarkably positive attitude in his Reddit comment and later in a public Facebook post on the Jazz at Dick’s Den page, thanking everyone from his friends who called 911 to the man who took off his sweater and used it to staunch the bleeding on the entry wound.
“The love and support from strangers in this time is truly beautiful,” Williams wrote on Facebook. “The only thing I can do moving forward is take life one leg, er, wheel at a time. While there are some hobbies like rock climbing that I’ll never be able to do like before, there are plenty of activities you can do with a good mind, some good arms, and lots of patience. I’m looking forward to regaining as much independence as possible. Love you all.”
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