A YOUNG Irish GAA player has been left with a number of serious injuries after he was struck by a car in the United States.
Aaron Elliott, from Co. Tyrone, was found unresponsive and without a pulse after he was hit by a car in Jenkintown, Philadelphia at the weekend.
The 22-year-old was given CPR at the scene of the accident by local police before paramedics rushed him to Abington Memorial Hospital for emergency surgery on a severe compound fracture to his elbow.
He also suffered a leak on the brain, a blood clot, a fractured skull and a collapsed lung after the incident on Saturday night.
Further reconstruction surgery to his shattered elbow is planned for Friday, September 1.
Mr Elliott travelled to Philadelphia to play for Kevin Barry’s GFC and has become an influential member of the local GAA community in his short time in America.
The club have now set up a fundraising page to help cover their player’s rising medical bills – which are estimated to reach £100,000.
They have also organised plane tickets for his family members to be with him at the recommendation of medical staff.
Doctors have removed Mr Elliott from sedation in order to monitor his brain activity and reaction to instructions to raise his thumb and squeeze his hand.
Once he is eventually released from hospital after his recovery, Mr Elliott will require intense rehabilitation without health insurance to ease costs.
Philadelphia Irish Centre have organised a fundraising event for the Coalisland native on October 8.
Friends of the Coalisland native are seeking GAA memorabilia to auction at a special club fundraiser at Philadelphia Irish Centre on October 8.
Meanwhile, Kevin Barry GFC's online fundraiser has raised $15,713 of its $100,000 goal so far.
