GoFundMe Page Started To Help Bring Hospitalized LI Man Home

LINDENHURST, NY — A Lindenhurst resident started an online fundraiser to help bring her father, who has been stuck in the hospital for months, back home. Sandy Benci started a GoFundMe for her dad, 61-year-old Kenneth Rutowicz, who was first hospitalized on February 20 for a mild stroke. However, due to complications he ended up on a ventilator shortly after.

His children were by his side daily until coronavirus hit Long island and no visitors were allowed at hospital. According to Benci, her father was being weaned off the ventilator at the hospital and was doing well, but due to the amount of COVID patients, Benci said he could not get the care he needed.

He was then transferred to rehab, but did not seem to improve at the facility either. That's when his family have decided to bring Rutowicz home to his house and familiar surroundings.

"We are hopeful he progresses and does exceptionally well. It is sad when you work your whole life and now need a ventilator and various amounts of medical supply's to keep him alive and your insurance company says nope sorry not covered you must pay for this out of pocket including your transfer to bring you home," Benci said. "We are asking everyone to come together during this tough economical time and COVID outbreak and give a helpful donation not only to bring our dad home, but to keep him healthy and get him off the vent so he can return to his life as an active father, grandfather ,son, brother and friends of so many."

Benci set the goal on the GoFundMe page to $7,000 to help bring Rutowicz home. In less than a week, the page has raised a total of $2,270.

To read more or to donate, visit the GoFundMe page here.