Gavin Bartos’s Recovery *Please Help*

Gavin Bartos has been a resident of Mokena for 21 years. He went through the Mokena School system and graduated from Lincoln Way Central. He was working at the Bedford Park Home Depot Warehouse and was 5th on the waiting list for the Local #73 Sheet Metal Union. Last October 29th, in Lockport, Gavin was unexpectedly shot point blank in the back of the head. The man was caught in Iowa fleeing to Colorado. Gavin was expected to fall into the 95% of those who suffer headshot gun wounds to pass on the spot or on the operating table. Gavin’s life was saved by the staff at Silver Cross Hospital. However, he was in a coma for 3 months. We were told he was brain dead or that the best we could have back from him was a vegetative state. We continued to believe he would come back to us. Over the course of 4 months Gavin began regaining consciousness from persistent vegetative state to minimally conscious, first with only his eyes, then his limbs, and finally his voice and becoming fully conscious. Gavin was admitted to Shirley Ryan Downtown where he made tremendous progress. He has his full memory, his voice, partial vision and hearing, partial coordinated movement in his limbs, a recovering brain, and optimistic outlook. Gavin is wheelchair bound at the moment and requires a lot of assistance. When he is home there is numerous equipment, machinery, and accessories he requires to give him the best life possible no matter what final state he ends up in. He will never have his old life back, that we know. We have struggled as a family financially to keep up with what insurance covers and what they consider a cosmetic and of course we want to give Gavin as much as we can without spreading us thin and him suffering. I, Damon Bartos, as well as my family, are asking for your support and help to make Gavin’s life as assured and comfortable as possible. We appreciate any financial help, prayers, and messages during this time. Below is a link to Gavin’s Go fund Me. We are so thankful to everyone who has already donated and anyone who continues to contribute.

Thank you and God Bless,

Damon Bartos (Big Brother to Gavin Bartos)

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-gavin-bartos-in-his-road-to-recovery