Fundraiser aims to help 9 year-old Kildare boy ‘play and smile again’

An online fundraiser aims to help an injured boy from North Kildare "play and smile again".

According to the description of the GoFundMe fundraiser, a boy from Leixlip named Aaron was the victim of a serious collision.

The organiser of the fundraiser, Gary Wall, explained: "Aaron is a bright, kind-hearted 9-year-old boy whose life was turned upside down after he was struck by an electric scooter, last Monday evening, as he was cycling his bike on the cycle path.

"Unfortunately, the driver of the e-scooter didn’t remain at the scene."

Mr Wall went on to say: "The accident left him with serious injuries, and he now faces a long and painful road to recovery.

"With permission from Aaron's Mam, I have set his GoFundme [page] up, and as a friend and neighbour of the family, I’ve seen just how much this has impacted Aaron and his loved ones.

"He has already undergone two surgeries and is now preparing for his third surgery."

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And according to Mr Wall, while Aaron has been "incredibly brave throughout it all", he maintained that the physical and emotional toll is "immense" for the young boy.

Mr Wall further said: "This GoFundMe has been set up to ease the financial strain on Aarons family as they focus on his care and recovery.

"Donations will go towards: medical and surgical costs not fully covered; travel expenses to and from the hospital; ongoing therapies and supports Aaron may need; and loss of earnings, due to the extended time off work that will be required.

"Aaron is a gentle, funny and resilient young boy... he didn’t deserve what happened, but he does deserve the very best care and the full support of his community."

Appealing to the public, Mr Wall added: "If you are able to donate, please know that every amount — no matter how small — will truly make a difference.

"And if you can’t give right now, sharing this page would mean so much."

He concluded: "Let’s come together to show Aaron and his family that they’re not alone... thank you for your kindness and support."

The fundraiser, which has a €9,000 goal, can be accessed here.

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