A Kelowna family is asking for help after a member of the clan experienced a “freak accident.”
On Wednesday, Aug. 2, 16-year-old Gavin Kamoschinski dove into Okanagan Lake off a dock at Hobson Beach and broke his neck in the process. His brother was there with him and witnessed it happen.
Gavin was rushed to Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) where it was discovered he broke his C5, C6, and C7 vertebrae. After that, he was flown to Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) where he underwent a five-hour emergency surgery to stabilize his neck and fuse his vertebrae.
Right now, the family doesn’t know how long Gavin’s recovery will be. For the time being, he’s at VGH and is continuing to be sedated to keep his heart rate up to maximize his healing spinal cord. He also currently has no movement in his arms or legs.
“He needs a miracle. And we are believing this for him,” the family says on their GoFundMe page.
A local football player with a bright future, Gavin’s athletic career is on hold for the time being.
The family has a goal of $100,000 on their GoFundMe to help with Gavin’s recovery as well the parents, who own a small business in town and will be spending most of, if not, all their time down in Vancouver with Gavin as he recovers.
The Kamoschinskis have received more than $56,000 so far on their GoFundMe.
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@cunninghamjordy
jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
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