A Gibsons teen has issued a plea for help after his friend, 17-year-old Muj Rodriguez, was paralyzed June 1 when he was crushed by a falling tree limb during an afternoon walk through the Mahan Road trails.
"I've never had a worse day; he's like my best friend, too," recalled Rodriguez's friend, 16-year-old Riley Mackenzie.
Riley was with Muj when the friends were walking through the trails that day, doing "just normal things you do on the Coast, just normal kid stuff."
The friends were shaking dead trees along the pathway, making plans for their Friday night.
That's when Riley said he witnessed an event he will never forget. A tree limb - estimated by the teen to have been over four metres long and perhaps half a metre wide - fell on Muj, trapping him below and pinning his legs to his chest.
"I watched him get crushed," said Riley, noticeably distraught.
Muj had recently moved to the Sunshine Coast along with his South African father, who had been working to get a restaurant delivery business operating in the area.
As of June 5, the teen was in hospital recovering from his injuries, sedated and in intensive care. His friend said that Muj had initially lost function below his neck, but has since improved to regain control of his arms.
While the family could not be contacted directly for comment, messages relayed through friends showed optimism that Muj will continue progressing remains high.
What is in short supply is money, as the teen's parents have learned they will have to spend six months in Vancouver while their son undergoes the initial stages of his treatment.
As such, Riley and other friends have taken it upon themselves to raise funds for the family, with the ultimate goal of purchasing an electric power chair for their friend.
A car wash last weekend initially raised $600, but there are plans to do more. A trust account has been opened at the TD Canada Trust in Sechelt to take donations. Other fundraising ideas are in the works.
A June 24 bottle drive hopes to put a dent in the effort. Residents are encouraged to drop off their recyclables at 639 Pratt Rd. starting at 12:30 p.m. The same address is being used for the trust account.
Recyclables are also being collected in a donation bin at the Bottle Depot in Gibsons.
Riley said the funds raised would go a long way toward helping the Rodriguez family afford their son's long stay in the hospital. But for him, the "ultimate goal" remains the power chair.
"We might tweak it a little bit," he said with a grin. "Muj likes driving."
