Who We Help

PostWhoWeHelp

118846897_10157904173498512_2428817852481179586_oWe are very proud of the fact that we have been able to donate over $40,000 dollars to riders and their families.

For us that is what the biker community is all about and we are truly blessed to be able to have mission to make a difference.

Please visit our FB page FFMA Motorcycle Incidence Page.  This page is for all to share the fallen or injured riders incidence that happen in any state.   With this page we will reach out to those in need.  If there is someone that you know that needs assistance?  Please email us at foreverfriends4923@gmail.com 
Fallen & Injured Riders 

These are a few of the people we have been able to help over the years.
Ralph Bonin – On July 29th Ralph was riding his motorcycle on his way to work when he was stuck by a car. He was airlifted to Morristown Hospital with many severe injuries. He has a broken leg, shoulder blade, all ribs on one side broken and some on the other, punctured spleen, bruised heart, and 2 collapsed lungs, along with many other less serious issues.  Ralph is married to his wonderful supportive wife Jessica and has two handsome little boys.  He works at Garden State Harley Davidson in Morris Plains, NJ.  Ralph has a very long recovery and some of his injuries have changed his life style forever.  If you would like to help his family out further please visit https://www.gofundme.com/theboninfamily

Kyle Chappell – A 26-year-old Marine veteran from Boonton has been in intensive care for more than six weeks after a grisly motorcycle accident in Denville left him with life-threatening injuries, including an “internal decapitation.” Chappell was driving his motorcycle to work on Diamond Spring Road, four miles from his Boonton home, on the morning of April 2 when he was hit by a car. Chappell later would find out he suffered an “internal decapitation,” meaning his skull separated from his spinal column, a typically fatal occurrence. There are only about two dozen documented cases of people surviving the injury. “It’s such a miracle. All the credit and gratitude to the first responders for safely moving him,” Kyle’s mother, Jennifer Bucher, said. “They didn’t know about the injury and moving him safely was pivotal to his survival.”  Bucher said her son also dissected his aorta artery in two places. “That aorta was a ticking time bomb. Dissecting it once would typically cause someone to bleed out in 10 minutes,” she said. “But somehow it clotted on the way to the hospital.” Chappell’s extensive list of injuries also included two collapsed lungs, a lacerated liver, kidney, spleen, a fractured femur, a broken tibia and fibula on his left leg and a broken ankle on his right leg. While typically a blood perfusion is performed in neck and spinal injuries like Chappell’s, blood pressure had to be kept low due to avoid a rupture in the aorta. “It was a catch-22,” Bucher said. “Such a roller coaster.”  The heart, lungs and neck took precedent for doctors, and surgeons needed to perform heart surgery as quickly as possible. But Chappell’s organs were failing and his blood pressure was dropping.  “At one point I was told to say goodbye to my son, but he kept fighting” Bucher said. “At that time they did the surgery to fix the aorta because his chances were so low, and it was a success. It was a miracle. Kyle was young, healthy, strong and determined. And the doctors and nurses fought as hard as he did and never gave up.”  Chappell had his left leg amputated below the knee about a week later, and was placed on a lung oscillator and dialysis for his kidneys. Through it all he was in an induced coma and paralysis until the last week of April, to avoid movement that could cause further damage.  “He’s such a gentleman. A fun-loving, amazing man,” Bucher said. “And he’s been so reliable to his siblings through the years. Now I’ve gotten to see them come together for Kyle.”  Bucher credits a new AFX full facemask helmet with preventing her son from suffering a brain injury in the crash. He is on pace to begin physical therapy in a few weeks.

Chappell served two tours with the 2nd Light Armored Recon Battalion, one in Iraq and another in Afghanistan, from 2007 to 2011. “He served on the front lines pretty tremendously,” Bucher said. “There were a lot of close calls. It’s amazing he made it back home.” Chappell did electrical engineering in the service and now works as an electrician. He is the oldest of four siblings.

“This has been so surreal, the scariest thing I’ve ever had to face. I could not believe in certain moments we were dealing with it,” Bucher said. “But I’m so grateful for the support. I know he’ll gain his independence one day, but he will need 24/7 care for a long time.”  With at least a year of therapy ahead, friend Adam Gray decided to help launch a Go Fund Me campaign to help pay for the costs.

Stephanie Bockhor-Apic – Stephanie was riding her bike on the way home and a truck pulled out and hit her.  Not knowing that her mother was only a few cars behind her in traffic.  The person who hit her was a illegal alien and left the scene of the accident.  Stephanie has not recourse to have any of her medical bills paid and is still in therapy today with many more operations to go. 

Chris Schmidt –  A father of two that work for the DPW and was just out for a ride to enjoy a sunny day.  When he was run off the road by a car coming all the way over into his lane that actually put him on the white line on his side of the road.  The first time I talked to Chris he was up beat even though his life had now changed forever with the lost of his left from the knee down.  At first Chris really thought he would be ok with bills and life but a few months later when I checked in on him, he was not in good shape.  We were able to help out and to this day his is like another son to the Forever Friends mission. 

Katie Flore – If you could see this amazing person!  Katie was not far from home riding at night on a street with lights.  When she was hit by a car making  a left turn in front of her.  The most unbelievable thing happened is that a cop was right there with his camera rolling and caught the whole accident.  Katie lost her leg from the knee down  and she has proven to everyone that life goes on in a wonderful way.  She is now a advocate for amputees and their families.  She is very involved with learn new ways to do everything that we all take for granted. 

There have been many others and we will continue on our mission to help as many people as we can.  

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