This spring, Gordon and Jennifer Brown were like many parents who had lived in Darien for more than 20 years. They were eagerly planning the next chapter in their lives as their third and youngest child, Ben, a varsity hockey player, was just a few weeks away from graduation at DHS.
Picture from the Brown Family Friends pages on Facebook
Their middle child, Grace, was thriving as a junior at Tulane University, and their eldest son, Alex, had been working in California after graduation from Colgate University.
The Browns were soon to be empty nesters, planning on downsizing to a smaller home, traveling and enjoying their newfound freedom.
Then everything changed in one instant. While on a trip to visit Jennifer’s family in Iowa, Gordon, 59, fell from just a few steps and sustained a severe spinal cord injury which left him paralyzed from the chest down.
____________
— an announcement from Brown Family Friends
____________
“For a while it was touch and go as to whether Gordon would survive the accident,” said Jennifer Brown, his wife. Gordon spent several weeks in the ICU at the University of Iowa. “Our first concern was keeping him alive. As the reality of all that lies ahead sets in, we are so thankful for the love and support of the Darien Community.”
The Darien Community Organizes to Help
With staggering medical costs and constant care needed, friends of the family have organized The Brown Family Friends or “B.F.F.”
The fund will help with the costs of care and provide financial assistance for the necessary lifestyle changes that will be essential for Gordon and his family in the coming months.
This fundraising initiative will kick off with a special benefit concert by the “Spadtastics”, a Darien-based, Grateful Dead cover band on Aug. 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. at at Tilley Pond Park.
The event is being underwritten by Baywater Properties, The Glassmeyer Family and hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and the Darien Lions Club as part of their “Darien Summer Nights Concert Series.”
The Spadtastics will play a benefit concert at Tilley Pond Park. (contributed photo)
Food vendors including Colony Grill Pizza Truck, The Melt Mobile, Bodega and the Darien Butcher Shop will be on site. Depot volunteers will be at the event doing face painting and Paul Mardoff will be doing balloon art for kids.
The concert is free to the public. Parking is available across from Tilley Pond at the Darien Train Station and Koons Lot. Volunteers will be at the park entrances accepting donations via credit card and cash for B.F.F. all evening.
There will also be a silent auction with prizes including: a ski house during Christmas Week, vacation house in Nantucket, Cooking class at the Institute for Culinary Education, New York Giants Tickets and a package of babysitting donated by Darien High School students.
A Facebook page “B.F.F. Brown Family Friends” has been created with a link to donate directly to the family’s medical costs.
What the Fundraising is for
The fundraising effort has a goal of gathering $100,000. This will cover costs including:
- Gordon’s daily medical care and nursing assistance, approximately $250 per day (not covered by the family’s medical insurance);
- medical bills;
- a custom van to accommodate the wheelchair which is estimated at $75,000;
- and elements of their home that will have to be adapted for Gordon including ramps, a hydraulic lift from a special bed to the wheelchair, a special shower, and other wheelchair accessible adaptations which cost $50,000 to $100,000.
“This has been such a devastating time for Gordon, his wife Jennifer and their children, our goal is to help them get through this time of great transition if we can help ease some of this financial burden, hopefully, that will allow the family to focus on looking ahead and helping Gordon to live his life,” said Barb Hazelton, family friend and organizer of The Brown Family Friends.
The Brown family, in a picture taken before Gordon Brown was injured. (from the Brown Family Friends Facebook page)
B.F.F. is grateful for the generous donations of resources and time from Baywater Properties, The Glassmeyer Family, Beth Harrington-Howes, JW H Construction, Doug Vanderhorn architects, LEVCO Oil, Wood Builders and Darien Attorney Michael Nedder.
________
Editor’s note: Paragraphs were reorganized by Darienite.com for the announcement as it appears here, and other minor changes were made.