A community driven effort is underway to help a Kelowna man whose life was irrevocably changed by a random assault just a year ago.
James Summers-颅Gill was attacked April 1, 2016 by a mentally ill man on a violent rampage while walking his daughter to school through the downtown core.
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During the nine-minute assault, his young daughter was forced to watch as her dad was pummeled and forever changed. Nobody stepped in to help back then, but there are people rallying around him now.
Heather Ormiston is part of a team that has organized a June 14 fundraiser that will include live music, a silent auction, a beer and burger special and hopefully lift some of the financial burden that91裸聊视频檚 weighing down Summers-Gill as he attempts to recover from the attack.
She is currently looking for auction items to raise money and is hoping business owners around Kelowna can help by donating items or services for the silent auction.
91裸聊视频淛ames Summers-颅Gill is a good man with little family and could really use help from the community,91裸聊视频� Ormiston said, in a press release.
91裸聊视频淚f you would like to help by donating an item or gift certificate please contact me91裸聊视频� With little financial assistance James treads water while trying to find a path forward.91裸聊视频�
Summers-颅Gill doesn91裸聊视频檛 bear the physical scars of his attack, but that doesn91裸聊视频檛 mean he91裸聊视频檚 OK. In fact, surface level normalcy is almost a disadvantage.
91裸聊视频淚 cry a lot. I get emotional easy,91裸聊视频� he said, in an earlier interview with the Capital News.
He91裸聊视频檚 overwhelmed by the volume of tasks his brain has to sort through to do the simplest of things, like making coffee.
In the time since his injury he91裸聊视频檚 created plans that allow him to function, but if something goes awry it91裸聊视频檚 hard to recover.
He has a counsellor funded through victim services limited, but there91裸聊视频檚 been little to help with the life expenses that have piled up since the incident.
He didn91裸聊视频檛 have a job at the time, so he can91裸聊视频檛 get any wage loss supplement. Also, it will take a couple of years before it91裸聊视频檚 clear whether his brain injury is permanent, so he can91裸聊视频檛 get any assistance from that. He could get social assistance, but then he91裸聊视频檇 lose his rental assistance. While he treads water, he91裸聊视频檚 having a hard time finding a path forward let alone pay the bills that are stacking up.
91裸聊视频淭he attitude of service providers is, 91裸聊视频榠f you don91裸聊视频檛 come to us we91裸聊视频檙e not coming to you,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� he said.
Trouble is, he doesn91裸聊视频檛 know where to go because he91裸聊视频檚 starting life anew.
91裸聊视频淧eople think, 91裸聊视频榦h, he looks normal,91裸聊视频� so I must be high-functioning,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭he less normal I look the more help I91裸聊视频檇 get, but then you get treated like that and I91裸聊视频檓 never going to get any help in that way.91裸聊视频�
If you can chip in to help, call (250) 826颅-3409 to reach Ormiston or Mark Greenhalgh at 250-463颅-3110, Andy Bowie at 250-859颅-2639 or Brad Krauza at 250-899-颅2112.
