GOWANDA, N.Y. — A fundraiser was held Saturday to help a young man from Gowanda who was hit by a car while riding his bike over the summer.
Jayden "J.J." Kramer was found badly injured along the side of route 62, and has since spent months recovering in the hospital re-learning how to walk and talk.
"It just touches my heart how the community just came together for Jayden," said Charlene Marchese, Jayden's mother.
"I mean I consider this my welcome home gift," J.J. said.
In the Village of Gowanda, Jayden's very own village came together for a fundraiser filled with food, music, and raffle prizes.
"I just knew that he was going to need a lot more help and I knew that the family needed to focus on JJ so I went ahead and organized the benefit," said Valarie Eddy, event organizer and family friend.
For Melanie Foley, who was a part of the search party that found Jayden that summer night, being a part of the fundraiser meant everything.
"I thought he was dead. And I had to call his mom. It was just a really traumatic night," Foley said.
Although the road to recovery might be long, Jayden's mom reminding us all:
"He's definitely a fighter."