Fundraising Campaign Started For Benjamin Pileski

Zach Pileski, the brother of Benjamin Pileski, a 20-year-old Mattituck resident who was recently in a coma after he was hit by a taxi in Montauk last week, recently started a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe to raise money for his family.

“My family has never asked for handouts before but we ask if you could please lend a helping hand during our time of need,” Zach wrote on the GoFundMe page. ”We as a family not only ask kindly for your thoughts and prayers but we also ask that you hug your loved ones and tell them that you love them.”

The page, which was created on Friday, has already raised $7,410. The goal is to raise a total of $10,000.

Benjamin and his friend, Justin Tyler, 20, of Cutchogue, were hit while crossing Montauk Highway at about 3 a.m. on June 5. Ben was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.

Benjamin was home on leave from the U.S. Navy when this accident occurred. He was stationed on the U.S. Abraham Lincolon.

Last Tuesday, the family wrote on the ”Ben’s Corner” Facebook page that he had some extra swelling in his brain and needed surgery to remove a section of his skull, allowing to relieve some of the pressure.

Last Wednesday night, Zach wrote on the Facebook page that the doctors have been in the process of changing a few of Benjamin’s medications, including the one that keeps him in his coma, and he has been showing some signs of strength.

The surgery he had also seems to really have helped the swelling in his brain.

On Tuesday morning, Benjamin’s mother, Gwenn DeFriest wrote on the Facebook page that Ben is starting to follow commands and staying awake for several minutes at a time.

“Benjamin Pileski is a fighter, he is the strongest kid I’ve ever met,” Zach wrote on the GoFundMe page.

To read more or to donate, visit his GoFundMe page.