A major fundraising drive has been launched to build a home for a 28-year-old midlands man who was paralysed in a St Patrick's Day motorbike accident, writes Liam Horan.
Mr Tom Broder's world changed dramatically eight months ago when his motorbike collided with a roadside pillar as he returned from taking part in the St Patrick's Day parade in Ballymahon, Co Longford.
Tom, who worked on the construction of the new Croke Park before the accident, is now confined to a wheelchair.
Neighbours and friends are now rallying around in a major fund-raising drive to raise the 150,000 needed to construct a purpose-built home for him.
He has started studying by night to become a draughtsman, and says he is adamant he will one day be able to walk again.
His former employer, Andrew, of Andrew Mannion Engineer Ltd, is supporting the fund-raising drive, which was launched in Moate by Laois football manager Mick O'Dwyer.
Tom cannot recall the events of March 17th but his biker friends who were with him that day say he hit a low-sized stone pillar and was catapulted into the ditch. "I lost all memory from a couple of days beforehand, up to three weeks later," he said.
He was taken from the scene near Ballymore, Co Westmeath, to Mullingar Hospital and was later transferred to the Mater Hospital, in Dublin. From there he went to the Rehabilitation Centre in DúLaoghaire where he spent seven months. Despite pro- blems with muscle spasms, he is now driving a converted car and studying one night a week at Athlone IT.
Donations can be made to the Tom Broder Fund account at Bank of Ireland, Moate: sort code 90 17 81, account number 70667708.