January 13th, 2011 by Conor

~Jess Richitelli

January 13th, 2011 by Conor

This came in anonymously.

January 13th, 2011 by Conor

First Day

I arrived today in Great Falls, MT around 1p local. Conor and David met me at the airport with a couple of long over due hugs and we came right to the hospital. There was some brief catching up on the ride over and I was cautiously warned of Danny’s condition. Upon entering the room I had no idea what to expect. To my surprise I saw Ellen sitting in a dimly lit room reading a book to Danny. As great as it was to see her for the first time in 4 years, my attention was immediately drawn to our friend. Initially I thought he looked better than the image I had dreamt up in my head during the 6 hour flight over, but the closer I got to Danny the more I felt overwhelmed with the reality of his condition. I stood there for a moment and was wanting to begin an inspection of all the tubes, the machines, the incisions, etc. when a nurse poked her head in the door and said “the tummy taxi is here”. Immediately Conor ran out of the room and I was left standing there with Ellen. I had only been in the room for 5 minutes so I had NO idea what the “tummy taxi” was. All I could I think is that it was some kind of code for Danny needs to take a shit. After sharing this thought with Ellen we both had a good laugh and she informed me that the tummy taxi was the local food delivery service. In other words lunch was here. The remainder of the afternoon we all sat in the waiting area and talked about old times, good times, and the time that had passed since we had all last seen each other.

At 5p we all gathered around a laptop in the lobby and joined in to a fundraising meeting with a large group of friends back in North Conway. Thanks to Joe from Hula networks, he was able to connect 25 of Danny’s friends through a webinar in order to collaborate on ideas to help raise money for Danny and his cause. It is incredible to see the amount of support, especially those big hearts back in the valley!

I can’t tell if we are frozen in time or if it is actually just flying by. I have been awake for 24 hours now and I am losing any sense of time. We are back in the ICU with Danny, and I have entered in to a whole new world. It’s mostly quiet in the room with the exception of the respirator. It’s an eery sound. The machine looks to be breathing for him but the doctors assure us that he is able to breath on his own. I stood bedside to examine everything going on. He has tubes plugged in all over his body. His eyes are shut and his mouth is open. I’ve seen this look on his face before but It was at a party I hosted for him. He had a couple too many beers and passed out. I want to be able to shake him like I did that night to wake him up, but the paralytics and sedatives are too strong this time. This is a pretty helpless feeling that we all share.

The doctor just came in to conduct a neurological test. This is the most excitement we have all seen for a couple of hours. As they temporarily weened Danny off the paralytics you could see his eye lids begin to open. The doctor was loud and spoke right into Danny’s face asking him to make a fist…passed, give a thumbs up….passed, give a thumbs up on your left hand…no response, wiggle your toes…passed, squeeze my hand…passed, thumbs up again…passed. At this point Danny had almost opened his eyes all the way. We all started to talk to him hoping for some kind of sign that he could recognize us, but we only got a blank stare. The doctor used his hands to open Danny’s eye lids all the way and loudly asked him to look over at him multiple times…each time just a blank stare. Conor, Michelle, and I took turns and held his hand. Each time we asked he would squeeze our hand. He might not be able to see us but it’s exciting to know that he can hear us and has the ability to control his hands.

I’m now going on 27 hours without sleeping and we still have another 3+ hours to go on the graveyard shift. I never expected to be awake this long, but we are doing it for Danny. I think we are all passed any reasonable level of sanity and we have been entertaining ourselves with endless Chuck Norris jokes. The doctor said he wants to do another neurological test soon. I hope I can stay awake long enough to see if anymore progress has been made since earlier.

This is all I have to offer up for this long day. It’s hard to see him in this condition but I’m very fortunate that I was able to make it out here. I know everyone would love to be able to be next to him during this time. I can only hope that this entry will give all of you some idea of what it would be like if you were.

We love you Danny and we are right here with you!

~Josh Belcher

January 13th, 2011 by Conor

The thought of organizing a whole fundraiser might seem a little over your head. Maybe you don’t live in NH where the meeting took place, but still want to raise money to help Danny through this. One simple idea is to make donation jars, like the ones pictured below, and display them at local businesses (ski shops, coffee shops, etc.).

Make them fun and crafty. Get as creative as you want. Print out and tape the following onto your jar:

On January 3rd of 2011, Danny Toumarkine suffered from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) while snowboarding at Teton Pass. He is currently in the ICU at the Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, MT. Danny has had two craniotomy surgeries and is in stable condition. Though heavily sedated, Danny shows signs that he will eventually recuperate from this injury, but it will be a long road to recovery.

Conor, Danny’s brother, has created a website in his name (www.dannyisthebomb.com). This website aims to raise awareness of TBI along with supporting Danny’s family and himself through this indispensable moment in their lives. Danny and his family would be grateful for any donation you could contribute to aid in the financial assistance that is essential to Danny’s recovery and current medical care.

If you would like to contribute further or in a different way please visit www.dannyisthebomb.com.

Thank you for your contribution!

---

Feel free to take a picture from the site and tape it to your jar as well

Make as many as you want and collect the money once a month (or if your jar looks like these maybe try for once a week!). “Don’t talk about it, be about it.” Good luck!!

Make Check Payable to:
Danny Toumarkine Assistance Trust

Mail to:
Danny Toumarkine
℅ Jack Deislinger CPA
404 Main Street
Wilmington, MA 01887

January 13th, 2011 by Conor

The good thing about something this bad is the connections that are reformed. It’s been a year since I have seen my good friend Josh Belcher and probably many more than that since Danny has seen him. Danny and I grew up with Josh. The three of us snowboarded, played lacrosse, went on ski trips, and hung out for I have no idea how many hours.

Josh flew in earlier today from Knoxville, TN and is now apart of the graveyard shift with Michelle and I.

It’s hard to reconnect under these circumstances but we are doing our best.

I know I will look back on this whole hell in a month or two or three and and remember the outbreak of laughter that errupted in 5109 just a little while ago. I don’t really know how it got started but sure enough, Chuck Norris again. Here we are going through site after site looking for laughter–the way Danny would want it to be. Our bond was formed and sealed through our drug of choice… laughter. Not 8 or 10 feet away from Danny, Josh and I nearly lost our breath while imagining the all mighty Chuck Norris. Danny’s ICP spiked a bit on our loudest outbreak. I’d like to think that Danny was laughing with us. Yea, I know, chances are it was more out of the irritation of our sound or the constant cycle of his ICP, but either way, it was a much needed moment.

It’s great to be hanging out with Josh again and I am looking forward to the time when the three of us can all laugh together.

Here are some of our best finds:

Chuck Norris is the only one who can tear a Facebook page.

Chuck Norris always knows the EXACT location of Carmen SanDiego!

They once made a Chuck Norris toilet paper, but it wouldn’t take shit from anybody.

Chuck Norris does not wear a condom. Because there is no such thing as protection from Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris has already been to Mars; that’s why there are no signs of life there.

Chuck Norris doesn’t read books, he just stares them down until he gets the information he wants out of them.

Chuck Norris knows Victoria’s secret.

Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird.

Jello Doesn’t jiggle, it shakes out of fear for Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris doesn’t throw up after a long night of partying… he throws down!

Big thank you goes out to Ian Stacey for inspiring this search from halfway around the world.

~Conor

January 13th, 2011 by Conor

From what I hear the fund raising meeting went really well tonight. I say it that way because I was lucky enough to actually get to listen in to the meeting thanks to some handiwork done by my friend Joe at Hula Networks. Despite the wild weather a dedicated group gathered together at the Red Jacket in North Conway, New Hampshire, to discuss some potential ideas.

Tom Januzzi took charge and ran the group through ideas ranging from wine tasting to a big air competition. The diversity in the ideas was wonderful and the mood in the room was upbeat- all things considered. I don’t want to get into the details too much because we should have notes as well as an audio clip posted later on today. All I can say is that there are some awesome fund raising ideas in the works.

If you didn’t get to attend the meeting, and you won’t be able to attend the fund raisers you can still help. I am willing to bet that almost everyone reading this blog has a Facebook account. Here is what you can do: Spend 15 to 30 minutes spreading the link of this blog to as many people as you possibly can. Whether they are businesses or friends it doesn’t matter. Help spread Danny’s story. I want the whole world to have his back when he wakes up from this mess.

If facebook spamming isn’t your thing, understandable. There are a million ways you can help raise money for Danny. Check out these steezy Dannyesque donation jars complete with zebra print- the way he would want it.

The Danny is the Bomb fundraising team is ready for any idea that you have. Please send all ideas, thoughts, concerns, etc. to fundraising@dannyisthebomb.com

~Photos emailed to me by Tom, I have no idea who took them

~ Words by Conor

January 13th, 2011 by Conor

In the same way Cheez-Its takes their time waiting for their cheese to mature, Michelle takes her time creating each of her “Parker” hats. She would never release one into the wild until the proper balance of comfort and style has been reached. The last hat flew off the internet shelves in just 3 hours on a trip to Tahoe City. This one is sure to be a quick hit!

Pics are from the cell again. Just like last time I will get the good camera out if necessary but these hats are much better than they look on my phone.

!!!!SOLD!!!!

January 13th, 2011 by Conor

~Sarah Nicole McNally

January 13th, 2011 by Conor

Ever since I heard about Danny’s accident, minutes haven’t gone by without me thinking about him. I’m constantly refreshing the Dannyisthebomb.com webpage for news and I’ve been enjoying reading stories about him. Now that it’s 3:30 in the morning and I can’t sleep, I thought it was an appropriate time to write what’s on my mind.

I’ll start from the beginning … Pine Tree Elementary. Just like every other girl, my memories of him are vivid and pretty emotional considering he is the first boy I was ever in love with. Yes … in love. I, as a sixth grader, of course went about it in a very mature fashion. I would call him, and then hang up the phone if his mom answered, did some chasing around the playground, and pretended to be interested in the Chicago Bulls because he liked the Bulls. How could I not love him, he was the stud of the playground- the man made an inhaler look cool for God sakes. I remember wishing I had one because he had one. One day in sixth grade, I finally got the cajones to ask Danny out. Whilst eating a green fruit roll-up, I went for it, and he said yes. Unfortunately, I think the romance fizzled out within days.

He was always an innovator, and it doesn’t surprise me that he’s helped pioneer Shreddy Times. I remember (again, back in sixth grade) our assignment was to invent something. Whereas most kids were inventing pretty unoriginal things, I remember Danny’s project blew everyone’s out of the water. First of all, his presentation was a movie that he had made … and considering the times, it was pretty advanced. I think I wrote my report on a typewriter. He invented something where you can practice your snowboarding moves even in the summer by some contraption he made and using it on a trampoline. Fast forward 15 years and look at where he has come – he was made to do what he does… and it seems like he’s still the stud of the playground.

Unfortunately, life takes over and our paths haven’t crossed in a few years now, but Danny is unforgettable. I have an awful memory, and the fact that I remember these stories so vividly says a lot about his character and the impact he has on people. He’s a genuinely good person… the kind that makes the world simple and carefree. I have always admired his passion and motivation – and of course just thinking about his laugh makes me smile. I was trying to think of something less corny to say, but there’s no other way to … he’s got a beautiful soul. Good things happen to good people and with his fight and all this lovin and positive energy, he’ll be out of this in no time. Danny IS the bomb.

To Conor, Michelle (although I don’t know you), and the rest of the family … he’s really really lucky to have amazing people like you by his side. I’m in awe of your love and support. Take care of yourselves and I’ll continue to send love and positive vibes your way!

-Nia

January 13th, 2011 by Conor

Some fun Shredding at Northstar. Danny surely misses you all!