ROCKLAND, Maine — The 5-year-old boy who had his left hand severed in a freak accident two weeks ago is expected to be released from the hospital Tuesday.
And the boy’s supporters turned out in large numbers for a benefit held Monday night outside the Trackside Station restaurant to help the family of Noah Keene pay for expenses incurred since the accident.
Noah and his mother Cassidy Keene were in attendance by Skype from the boy’s room at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, where surgeons reattached the hand.
Kelly Woods, an owner of the Trackside and one of the organizers of the benefit, said the turnout was well beyond everyone’s expectations. She estimated more than 500 people turned out throughout the evening.
“It was amazing, absolutely amazing,” Woods said.
The Monday night benefit raised more than $25,000 and along with a fund set up at a local bank, the amount raised for the family in two weeks is nearing $30,000.
“I’m really proud of everyone. We are fortunate to live in such a great place, where people care,” she said.
Hundreds of people packed the Trackside parking lot for an auction led by Bruce Gamage Jr. of items donated by businesses and individuals in the community.
Tiffany Monroe, another organizer, thanked the crowd.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child. We are showing that it takes a village to help a child,” Monroe said. “I’ve never been so proud of our community.”
Woods said Shannon Kinney of Dream Local helped set up the Skype connection with her computer and the Trackside’s large screen television so supporters in attendance could see Noah and his mom.
The child, who was riding in the back seat of a car driven by his grandmother on June 27, had wrapped one end of a jump rope around his wrist while the other end dangled out the window. As another vehicle drove by the car, the rope got caught on the other car. The vehicle pulled the rope as it was driving away, severing the hand, according to police.
The child initially was taken to Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport before being driven to Mass General by ambulance.
Woods said Monday night that Noah was expected to be discharged from the Boston hospital Tuesday but the family was going to have remain down there for a little longer so doctors can monitor his progress.
We really are truly blessed to live in such a great place where there are caring people who are never hesitant to lend a hand. I’m so glad to hear they were able to reattach his hand and that he is doing well. Great news.
This was a wonderful evening with the entire community coming together to help this young man. Many of the auctioned items sold for much more than their value due to the outpouring of love and support. I want to thank everybody who helped raise money for this little guy.
The entire community pulled together on this and did our local towns proud.
This is wonderful news. I am so happy for the boy the family and the outcome of everyone who have supported this family and little boy as well.. so sad.. I hope children read this as bad as it sounds and learn something from it.. when the bus driver and mom and dad say keep your hands in the vehicle/bus.. do it! This is why! Poor baby..
The day after this happened, I caught my daughter with her hand out the window. Without freaking her out, I explained (using Noah’s accident as an example) why she needed to keep her hands inside the car. She asks me daily now if I know how this little boy is doing.
Sadly, having a living, breathing example of what could happen helps solidify reasoning to kids sometimes. I’m just sorry that there was an example for me to be able to give her.
Here’s hoping he continues to recover well!
Teach the children well… thank you, jemileesmom!
I’m not perfect at it, but I try. As a result, I have a smart, caring, compassionate little girl who spends more time worrying about others in need (abandoned animals, hurt kids, etc) than herself.
Like I said, I am so very sorry I had a real life example to give her though. Breaks my heart everytime I think about it.
It sounds like you have a wonderful daughter and are doing a super job of raising her to be compassionate.
I tear up every time I think of the little boy saying “please” and “thank you” to the people who were working on him at the accident scene. That little boy and his wonderful family are an inspiration to me. His family is doing something right to have such a polite young man.
Unfortunately, it’s not just kids who need such examples a lot of the time. There’s a saying in engineering: “Safety specifications are written in blood.”
bravo to all those who attended and participated in helping this young child!
Good that this is happening to help this family, but SAD that we have families that have to go through all this to pay medical bills. So, Republicans, are you still just fine with families having to do fundraising in order to pay medical bills when their children become sick or injured while health insurance company CEO’s buy more yachts and mansions? Or do you think that we should reform the system to get EVERYONE covered and reduce costs for everyone at the same time (like Romney actually did in Massachusetts with ROMNEYCARE, the TWIN of the federal Affordable Care Act)? Or should we stick with the Republican federal plan which is: “Have a child that is sick or injured and you don’t have insurance? Hold a fundraiser! Can’t do that? Then TOUGH LUCK !”
No family should ever have to worry about how to pay for necessary medical bills if they have insurance.
I hope that there are charities out there that will pay most, if not all, of this young man’s medical bills so the family can at least enjoy some of the money and do something for themselves as a family and not have to be in fear of losing everything they earned through the years.