Ryan’s home, thanks largely to carrier ITS
BELLEVILLE, Ont. — Ryan Gallaher is back in Canada in a London, Ont., hospital, thanks partially to the hard work, prayers and moral support of his mom’s colleagues at International Truckload Services (ITS) in Belleville, Ont.
Gallaher, you might have read here, is the English teacher who was working in Vietnam but ended up in a coma after a motorcycle crash last month.
His mom, Lisa Hamilton, works in the billing department of ITS and she flew to Asia to be by his side on June 9.
Problem was, expenses started piling up hourly and Gallaher’s OHIP coverage was at risk if he didn’t come home soon.
by sons Ryan (left) and Tyler. Ryan
is now lying in a London, Ont., hospital.
To fly Gallaher from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to a better hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, cost about $15,000. Treatment in Bangkok was almost $40,000.
The commercial flight that took Gallaher, his mom and medical staff from Thailand to Toronto via Paris meant another $66,000.
They arrived in Canada last Tuesday, thanks, in large part, to the contributions of the ITS community and the trucking industry.
"They arrived late afternoon," JoReen Fisk, Hamilton’s co-worker at ITS told us. "He [Ryan] has had several tests and MRI’s etc but no solid word yet on his status other than he is still in a coma."
All the while, the good-hearted people at ITS continue to help out.
Company owners Max and Rob Haggarty not only granted Hamilton time off to take care of matters, they paid for her flight to Thailand.
They’re also encouraging their staff as much as possible.
So far, ITS folks have raised more than $17,000 through charities and fund-raising raffles, and they’re planning a huge bottle drive at Quinte Secondary School, slated for July 10.
According to Fisk, they have also established a CIBC account where you can donate to the cause. (Refer to CIBC on Front Street in Belleville; Transit 7042 account 18-59234.)
Fisk also says that Markel Insurance has agreed to donate the proceeds from all Markel training courses taken between July 19-23 to Gallaher’s cause.
Markel is hoping its policy holders will help Ryan’s cause by donating and registering for training programs throughout the week that the campaign runs.
You can find out more by visiting www.bringryanhome.ca.
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