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A 29-year-old Manorville man left with limited mobility and feeling below his shoulders after an April motorcycle crash has become the focus of an extraordinary community effort that has raised over $133,000 toward his recovery.
James Lapham was driving a KTM motorcycle northbound on Weeks Avenue at 4:31 p.m. on April 10 when the bike struck a 2020 Tesla making a left onto Weeks Avenue from Calendar Road, police said.
The crash left Lapham with extensive damage to his cervical spine. Doctors at NYU Langone Hospital — Suffolk spent hours stabilizing his condition before performing nine hours of surgery on his neck and leg.
Rehab in Denver
While the procedures addressed his most critical injuries, the damage to his cervical spine was severe. He now receives inpatient rehabilitation at Craig Hospital in Denver — one of the nation’s leading facilities for spinal cord injury recovery — where he is expected to remain for up to three months.
“James’s spirits remain strong, and he is determined to fight with the support of his family, friends, and community,” Manorville resident Patrick Curtin, who organized the GoFundMe, wrote on the campaign page.
Strong support system
Funds raised will go toward specialized rehabilitation care, adaptive technologies to support Lapham’s long-term quality of life, travel and lodging expenses for relatives traveling to Denver, and modifications to his home to ensure it is accessible when he gets back there.
Curtin is also accepting donations of airline miles to help Lapham’s loved ones travel to be with him during his recovery.
Lapham is described by those who know him as a devoted son to Carolyn and James Sr., a brother to Megan and Mary Kate, a boyfriend to Sarah, and a beloved uncle, cousin and friend to a wide circle of family.
Top: courtesy of GoFundMe
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