Help Tommy Recover From This Senseless Tragedy
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December 1, 2018 started as any other day for Tommy. He told his children that he loved them, fed his two kittens enough to hold them over until he got home, and he went to work; a lot like all of our morning routines. But Tom didn’t get home that day, or the next - and because he was doing what we all should do, working hard to make ends meet to care for his family and loved ones, Tom’s life will never be the same.
On that Saturday morning, just a few weeks before Christmas, a stolen vehicle driven by a homeless addict, who was high on crack and eluding police, struck Tom Albanese while he was working in Milton, MA. One moment Tom found himself hard at work, and the next he was bound to a hospital bed, unable to walk.
Many of you saw the horrific aftermath on the news or online:
https://whdh.com/news/police-drugged-driver-fleeing-in-stolen-car-hits-injures-landscaper-in-milton/
https://www.wcvb.com/article/driver-accused-in-wild-hit-and-run-headed-to-court/25375945
Tom was rushed from the scene directly to Boston Medical Center. He's been there since, in constant pain with an uncertain future.
• His skull is fractured in multiple locations, which caused internal bleeding.
• The fracture to the back of his skull is so severe that he must keep a c-spine brace on for at least 6 to 8 weeks, or he may become paralyzed. Tom may need additional surgery on his skull, doctors aren't sure yet.
• He has several fractures in his face, including the occipital bone in his right eye.
• His right leg was broken so badly, he needed to have his ankle reconstructed. It will be in a cast for months, after which Tom will need extensive, ongoing therapy just to learn how to walk again.
• He suffered a right ear hematoma, and surgery was needed to remove a blood clot.
• Tom’s thoracic vertebrae in the middle of his spine were also fractured.
• Tom is now dealing with the psychiatric aftermath of a massive trauma, and the thoughts that he may never get to work the job he loves so much, ever again.
• Sadly, once Tom is out of critical care, he will be moved directly to a rehab center, he’ll be reassessed and his therapy program will then be set-up.
Tom’s new challenges means his apartment will have to be renovated. There will be many changes we will need to make to his apartment for his medical needs, including bars in his bathroom and a seat in his shower, not to mention the flight of stairs he’ll have to contend with.
But he’ll do it, because as all his friends and family know, that’s who Tom is. He’ll face every challenge with the same pride and strength that he has always shown.
He is the hardest working man we know. He lives for his landscape company, Milton & South Shore Landscape, and would continue working every day for the rest of his life if he could. Tom is up and working by 5am, usually working until much after dark. Tom is a true Bostonian, born in Dorchester, spending his younger years living in Milton, graduating from Milton high school. It is there where he then began his own landscaping company. Most of his customers are still in Milton as his love for where he grew up never left his heart, and many of his customers have been with him his entire career. Even in his extreme pain, Tom still cracks jokes from his hospital bed and always asks the nurses how their day is going.
He has three children, ages 10, 18 and 28, and a pair of kittens that he recently adopted and loves to pieces. Even though he’s heavily sedated and barely conscious, he insists every day that his eldest daughter or his brother go to his apartment to spend time with his cats. And he’s so dedicated to his job, a job that he worked for 43 years, that even when in and out of consciousness, he kept bringing up the work he had to finish, repeating "My customers are counting on me. I need to get back out there and finish my jobs!"
That’s where the first round of heroes came in. Other landscapers have already stepped up and volunteered to look after his clients, to whom we are so very indebted. This is an incredibly selfless act by each of them and a true Christmas blessing in every way.
Unfortunately, Tom doesn’t have savings to fall back on. He worked, he cared for his family, and like for most, there wasn’t much left behind after that. And that’s where we can help this amazing man. Those of us that love Tom put this fundraiser together, including his daughter Lauren who has been by his bedside throughout, shall make sure that every penny goes to his hospital bills, rehab, rent and all other bills related to his injuries.
Some may say he was in the wrong place at the wrong time — but he wasn’t. He was working the same way he has been working his entire life. He was in the right place at the right time. That could have been any of us, working to take care of the ones we love, being a responsible father, neighbor and friend; because that is who he is, and this tragedy, and that monster can’t ever change Tom’s character.
Together, we can help Tom get his life going again, together we can show the criminal who hit him that he isn’t stronger than we are, we can show him that good people can come together and help make things right.
Though his long term care will certainly exceed our GoFundMe goal, we did not want to post a large seemingly unattainable goal. We have been asked by many friends and acquaintances of Tom to start a page like this so people can help him in this time of need. Together we can make this right.
Anything you are able to contribute is a true blessing that will mean so much to all of us.
And if anyone is able to donate services related to renovating Tom’s apartment to suit his new challenges, please contact us.
Thank you so much, and God Bless you for caring during this precious Holiday season.
On that Saturday morning, just a few weeks before Christmas, a stolen vehicle driven by a homeless addict, who was high on crack and eluding police, struck Tom Albanese while he was working in Milton, MA. One moment Tom found himself hard at work, and the next he was bound to a hospital bed, unable to walk.
Many of you saw the horrific aftermath on the news or online:
https://whdh.com/news/police-drugged-driver-fleeing-in-stolen-car-hits-injures-landscaper-in-milton/
https://www.wcvb.com/article/driver-accused-in-wild-hit-and-run-headed-to-court/25375945
Tom was rushed from the scene directly to Boston Medical Center. He's been there since, in constant pain with an uncertain future.
• His skull is fractured in multiple locations, which caused internal bleeding.
• The fracture to the back of his skull is so severe that he must keep a c-spine brace on for at least 6 to 8 weeks, or he may become paralyzed. Tom may need additional surgery on his skull, doctors aren't sure yet.
• He has several fractures in his face, including the occipital bone in his right eye.
• His right leg was broken so badly, he needed to have his ankle reconstructed. It will be in a cast for months, after which Tom will need extensive, ongoing therapy just to learn how to walk again.
• He suffered a right ear hematoma, and surgery was needed to remove a blood clot.
• Tom’s thoracic vertebrae in the middle of his spine were also fractured.
• Tom is now dealing with the psychiatric aftermath of a massive trauma, and the thoughts that he may never get to work the job he loves so much, ever again.
• Sadly, once Tom is out of critical care, he will be moved directly to a rehab center, he’ll be reassessed and his therapy program will then be set-up.
Tom’s new challenges means his apartment will have to be renovated. There will be many changes we will need to make to his apartment for his medical needs, including bars in his bathroom and a seat in his shower, not to mention the flight of stairs he’ll have to contend with.
But he’ll do it, because as all his friends and family know, that’s who Tom is. He’ll face every challenge with the same pride and strength that he has always shown.
He is the hardest working man we know. He lives for his landscape company, Milton & South Shore Landscape, and would continue working every day for the rest of his life if he could. Tom is up and working by 5am, usually working until much after dark. Tom is a true Bostonian, born in Dorchester, spending his younger years living in Milton, graduating from Milton high school. It is there where he then began his own landscaping company. Most of his customers are still in Milton as his love for where he grew up never left his heart, and many of his customers have been with him his entire career. Even in his extreme pain, Tom still cracks jokes from his hospital bed and always asks the nurses how their day is going.
He has three children, ages 10, 18 and 28, and a pair of kittens that he recently adopted and loves to pieces. Even though he’s heavily sedated and barely conscious, he insists every day that his eldest daughter or his brother go to his apartment to spend time with his cats. And he’s so dedicated to his job, a job that he worked for 43 years, that even when in and out of consciousness, he kept bringing up the work he had to finish, repeating "My customers are counting on me. I need to get back out there and finish my jobs!"
That’s where the first round of heroes came in. Other landscapers have already stepped up and volunteered to look after his clients, to whom we are so very indebted. This is an incredibly selfless act by each of them and a true Christmas blessing in every way.
Unfortunately, Tom doesn’t have savings to fall back on. He worked, he cared for his family, and like for most, there wasn’t much left behind after that. And that’s where we can help this amazing man. Those of us that love Tom put this fundraiser together, including his daughter Lauren who has been by his bedside throughout, shall make sure that every penny goes to his hospital bills, rehab, rent and all other bills related to his injuries.
Some may say he was in the wrong place at the wrong time — but he wasn’t. He was working the same way he has been working his entire life. He was in the right place at the right time. That could have been any of us, working to take care of the ones we love, being a responsible father, neighbor and friend; because that is who he is, and this tragedy, and that monster can’t ever change Tom’s character.
Together, we can help Tom get his life going again, together we can show the criminal who hit him that he isn’t stronger than we are, we can show him that good people can come together and help make things right.
Though his long term care will certainly exceed our GoFundMe goal, we did not want to post a large seemingly unattainable goal. We have been asked by many friends and acquaintances of Tom to start a page like this so people can help him in this time of need. Together we can make this right.
Anything you are able to contribute is a true blessing that will mean so much to all of us.
And if anyone is able to donate services related to renovating Tom’s apartment to suit his new challenges, please contact us.
Thank you so much, and God Bless you for caring during this precious Holiday season.
Organizer
Lauren Ashley
Organizer
Milton, MA
