A FUNDRAISING campaign has been set up for a Ramelton man who suffered a severe brain injury following a fall at his home in October.
Don Mooney is currently in Letterkenny University Hospital following a long stay in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.
Requiring extensive long term rehabilitation, Don’s family have set up a Go Fund Me page to help him on his long road to recovery, to cover bills, and home care.
Don suffered the injury after a defibrillator he had previously fitted to his heart gave him a shock causing him to fall backwards onto his skull.
Around 20 years ago Don contracted a virus that went undetected and this was the beginning of a bumpy road ahead. Don was then rushed to Dublin hospital where he had the first of his major heart surgeries.
Making a great recovery from the surgery, he was told he would get eight to ten years out of it before having to get it re-done.
Nine years later, Don was on the road back to Dublin for his second major surgery. Luckily, he was able to get the same specialist and surgeon as before.
Now creeping up on nine years since his second surgery, he was told it would last him twelve to twenty years.
Don was at home when his defibrillator kicked in and the shock caused him to fall. He spent seven weeks in a coma in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.
His family stuck by his side every day making great efforts to wake him up.
One day, while his brother was visiting he began to shout “wake up, wake up, wake up” and to his disbelief, Don squeezed his finger.
That is when Don began to wake up.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Don’s mother Ann Mooney described him as a very independent and proud man who always did what he could to help other people.
“Don has helped people his whole life so now we feel, after a lot of convincing, we should do this for him.
“The fundraiser has always been about him, even though we are all emotionally and physically wrecked, it was never about any of us, only him.
“A better soul you couldn’t meet. Please God he gets to rehab soon,” she said.
On a positive note Don is recovering slowly but surely, he is able to walk again and is currently waiting to attend rehabilitation in St. Conal’s Campus as soon as a bed comes free. Somewhere down the line, Don will have major surgery again.
However, his mother Ann said all that is important now is that they’re doing something to help him for when he comes home.
If you wish to make a donation you can do so via the following link https://gofund.me/94709977
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