A man hailed as a hero of the Boston bombings who had lost both legs in the blast is now facing a pile of medical bills, but thanks to the power of the web, he will not be left in a lurch.
Jeff Bauman, 27, who was depicted in the now-iconic and extremely graphic picture being carried away from the scene of the explosion with his legs severed below the knee, helped police identify the suspects in the attack, one of whom looked him in the eye just before the bombs went off.
Although the 27-year-old victim is covered by medical insurance from his employer, Costco, his treatment and rehabilitation are expected to be both lengthy and costly.
Eager to help Bauman, his friends set up an online funding campaign in his honor called Bucks for Bauman on the crowdfunding site gofundme.com, hoping to raise $1million to cover the costs of his surgery and other medical expenses.
Since the page went live Tuesday, more than 8,200 people have donated over $334,000 towards Bauman’s care.
‘We have created this fundraiser to raise money to help support our dear friend, Jeff and his family,’ the page states. ‘As most of you know, Jeff was severely affected by the tragedy that had taken place at the Patriots Day Boston Marathon this year.
‘Throughout this difficult time we want to help in every which way we possibly can to get Bauman back on track as soon as possible.’
h/t Daily Mail