Former Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm, known for his service as a Marine and a stint in the House of Representatives, has been left paralyzed from the chest down following a polo accident in September. According to reports by
The New York Post
, the 54-year-old is undergoing treatment at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey, a facility recognized for attending to the late ‘Superman’ actor Christopher Reeve after his similar injury.
Friends of Grimm have set up a
GoFundMe page
to raise funds for the extensive, likely years-long medical care he will require. So far, more than $36,000 has been raised, and the page describes Grimm’s condition as the result of “a devastating accident when thrown from a horse.” Vincent Ignizio, a deputy executive director of the New York City Board of Elections and a friend of Grimm, told
The Post
, “He’s currently immobilized and is currently being treated to try to give him the function that he can obtain. A lot of prayers are needed.”
The New York Daily News
reports that this unfortunate turn comes after Grimm’s varied career, which saw him resign from Congress in 2015 after a tax evasion indictment for under-reporting income at an Upper East Side restaurant he co-owned. After serving seven months in prison, Grimm made an unsuccessful attempt to return to politics in 2018, losing the Republican primary.
The
GoFundMe campaign
“Help Michael Grimm Walk Again” aims to raise $2.5 million to cover his rehabilitation costs. The campaign states: “For a man who has dedicated his life to helping others, we now humbly ask that you give generously to help him.” Even individuals from across the political aisle, such as former Brooklyn City Councilman Domenic Recchia—who ran against Grimm in 2014—have contributed. Recchia told
The New York Post
, “This isn’t a Democratic or Republican issue. It’s a human issue. He’s a human being.”
Michael Grimm, who served in Congress from 2010 until his resignation in January 2015, has largely remained out of the public eye since his departure. However, following the accident, Staten Island Republican Party Chairman Michael Tannousis made a plea in
The New York Post
: “We need to join together as one community to help Michael in his time of need,” underscoring Grimm’s legacy as a figure who served both on the battlefield and in the political arena.
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