Ball State junior Andrew "Drew" Akers was seriously injured while on spring break early Monday morning, and a GoFundMe page for the Ball State Theta Chi member has raised tens of thousands of dollars in less than one week.
While in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Akers was struck by a car while he was crossing the street to catch an Uber back to his hotel, his father Bill Akers said in a Facebook post. The driver of the car did not stop after Drew was hit.
“Our boy was hurt pretty bad,” Bill said in the post. “We were told that the driver never stopped and this scum left my son in the middle of the road unconscious, bleeding and not responding. Luckily, by the grace of God, a wonderful female citizen happened to be in the area when it happened and called for help and stayed with Drew until the ambulance arrived.”
As a result, Drew is in a medically induced coma because of a brain bleed, Bill said. He suffered two skull fractures and two sinus fractures "due to the impact of him hitting his face fist on the pavement and a bunch of road rash all over his body."
Drew's family is currently with him in Florida, and his father said Drew is expected to survive: "His prognosis is good. [It’s] just going to be a long recovery period."
Gage Carroll, a sophomore finance major and president of Ball State’s Theta Chi, said he's been in contact with Akers' family, and that Akers is expected to be in the hospital for three weeks.
Noah Wheeler, a junior communications major and vice president of health and safety for Theta Chi said friends and fellow fraternity members are continuing to watch for updates on Drew's condition.
"As far as updates, it is still hard to find out with all of us being so far apart, but as his parents give updates, that is when we get them,” Wheeler said.
To help alleviate medical bills for the extended hospital stay, Carroll said the Theta Chi chapter started a GoFundMe page with a goal of raising $2,000.
However, Carroll said he's found himself updating the page's goal amount to stay ahead of the donations coming in.
“My initial goal was $2,000, and after that it was four, after that it was eight, and now I believe I just had to reset to 15 [thousand],” Carroll said Tuesday.
As of Sunday night, donations over $26,000 approached the updated $30,000 goal.
News of Drew's injuries led to an outpouring of support over social media from students, alumni and parents, some using the hashtag #AkersStrong.
Carroll said he's pleasantly surprised to see donations "booming" so soon after the page was set up.
“It’s pretty spectacular the amount of swift response that all these guys had," Carroll said. "I mean, I was expecting the GoFundMe to do well, but nowhere near the speed of what it’s already gotten.”
To Carroll, helping Drew isn't just about Theta Chi members aiding a brother in need.
“I’d really like people just to go and even if they don’t have any affiliation with a fraternity or don’t support Greek life, just support this person that — I mean, he’s seriously, critically injured, and his family had to come support him," Carroll said. "This isn’t just a Greek life or a fraternity guy. It’s a person that needs help.”
Those wishing to donate to the Akers family can do so here.
Contact Sara Barker with comments at slbarker3@bsu.edu or on Twitter at @sarabarker326.
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