Akkas Ali, the florist at East Village Farm and Grocery who was critically injured in June after an out-of-control driver jumped the curb, is currently a patient at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, N.J.
Last week, CB3 member Chad Marlow presented Ali's son, Rukanul Islam, 22, with a check for $18,047.32 — all money raised through the crowdsourcing campaign.
The Villager has an update on Mr. Ali's condition this week via his son:
[He] said his father is conscious, and will open his eyes if someone is in the room and talking to him. He can turn his head and point to people with his right arm, and can raise his right leg. But his left leg and ankle are injured, and he’s not moving that leg or his left arm, either.
He is also intubated — periodically put on a ventilator to help him breathe — and because the tube crosses over his vocal chords, he cannot currently talk.
In addition, as a result of brain injury suffered from the force of the impact, he has completely lost his memory, and currently doesn’t even recognize his own family members.
However dire, Ali's son said that "his condition is getting better."
Shaun Martin, who prosecutors say was drunk "and high on PCP" when he drove his car onto a Second Avenue sidewalk on June 19, pleaded not guilty during his arrangement in Manhattan Supreme Court last month.
Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Car smashes into East Village Farm & Grocery on Second Avenue; 6 reported injured (62 comments)
Campaign launched to raise money for gravely injured East Village Farm and Grocery worker
1st week of crowdsourcing campaign for injured East Village Farm and Grocery worker raises $11k
Looking forward to the happy day when the Ali family files a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the seriously useless piece of trash that did this to their father.
ReplyDeleteHow tragic... I generally believe in second chances, but it makes me want to vomit when I think our tax money will be supporting that scumbag in jail for years to come. I realize there must be people who care about him and I guess some people do manage to eventually change their ways, but with this history... I sincerely wish the POS had died in that wreck. And his passenger, who apparently was okay with such driving behavior, too.
ReplyDeleteThis is heart-breaking news.
ReplyDeleteOn that gojira comment, do you really think this will be a "happy day"? Do you really think this drugged and drunken bum has assets such that such litigation will in any way be meaningful? Do you really think a personal injury attorney will even waste his/her time, and the courts for that matter, against a likely negligible estate? etc, etc, etc.
ReplyDeleteThere is no "getting even" in a case like this. Just suffering and loss, no "happy day" down the road, other than hopeful recovery to whatever degree of the injured party.
this makes me so sad. this man always would say hello to me each time i passed (on the way to Mars Bar), and would help me make beautiful bouquets whenever i needed them. i hope he continues to get better and his memory slowly returns to him!!!
ReplyDelete