On March 9, 2011, Matt Collura suffered a traumatic brain injury in a snowboarding accident. As he gradually awoke from his coma and began a long, challenging road to recovery, his friends and family said “If anyone can make it through this, it’s Matt.”
And they were right. Over the past 8+ years the same dedication that drove his 4 1/2 minute mile time in high school track and helped him survive rigorous academic programs at Boston College and in the NJIT master’s program for architecture, has driven his remarkable recovery.
Some of Matt’s wonderful accomplishments over the last year include:
Walking with minimal assistance and even taking a step on his own
Walking with a walker
Ascending and descending stairs with little or no assistance
Transferring from wheelchair to car, couch and bed with no assistance
Speaking on the phone clearly
Reading a poem he wrote at Bancroft Unplugged
Walking over one mile, with minimal assistance, on his treadmill
Logging over 40 minutes at a clip on his “Physio-Step”
Riding his recumbent bicycle for the entire 5K course last October
Recently, Matt made a huge step toward independence by moving out of his parent’s house and into a group home in Plainsboro.
Although he has come so far, there is still a long road ahead of him. While Matt continues to push himself to achieve, just as he always has, his family and friends are raising money to help cover the cost of uninsured medical expenses associated with his catastrophic injury.
In order to do this Matt, his family, and friends have organized the Matt Collura 5K Run/Walk and BBQ. The first MC5K took place in October 2011 and was followed by a second and third. Building on the success of these three events, we are preparing for the fourth annual Matt Collura 5K.
Just a few of the expenses covered by the funds raised in the MC5K’s are:
Specialized exercise equipment like the Physio-Step recumbent elliptical, standing frame, mat pad and recumbent bicycle.
Private at-home physical therapy, which has been essential to his continued progress.
Medical expenses not covered by insurance.
Rental for the stair lift he uses to get up to his bedroom. We look forward to removing that lift soon.
The MC5K is much more than simply a fundraiser. It is:
1.-A chance for serious runners to test themselves against some of the best runners from the area.
2.-An opportunity to get together with friends and family for a fun-filled day and enjoy a great walk through the park.
3.-A BBQ feast prepared by some the area’s finest BBQ chefs
4.-An event which inspires all who attend.
5.-And most importantly, it is a chance for you to participate in a day that Matt refers to as his best day of the year. The love and support of friends and family will help to motivate Matt through another year of recovery.
So mark your calendar for a day of fun, great food, getting fit and feeling great!
This year’s MC5K will take place on Sunday, October 12th. Save the date!
To register go to http://bit.ly/MC5Kfour Also note, sponsorships and group registrations are available. (Last year we had nearly 600 registrants) If you are interested in or have questions about being a sponsor please contact Tony Collura (tcollura@comcast.net or 732-513-2628), Marian Bossard (mbossard1981@gmail.com)
If you can’t make it to the MC5K and want to make a contribution to his recovery efforts, Matt has chosen Help Hope Live (The Leader in Fundraising Assistance and Support for Transplant and Catastrophic Injury) as his fundraising partner. He has chosen them in part because Help Hope Live provides both tax-deductibility to the full extent allowed by law and fiscal accountability to contributors
All funds raised can only be used to pay or reimburse medically related expenses.
