Wunder Wiener Owner Out Of Hospital, Now In Rehab, Niece Says

BAYVILLE, NJ - Beachwood Councilman and popular business owner Gerry LaCrosse was recently discharged from Jersey Shore University Medical Center and has been moved to a rehab facility to continue his recovery from the June 11 accident that nearly took his life.

LaCrosse 75, suffered multiple injuries and several bleeding after the accident off Route 9 in Bayville. He was airlifted to the trauma center shortly after the accident.

He was on a ventilator for almost a week before he was taken off it and moved out of intensive care, his niece Charissa Fromm has said.

He hopes to rebuild Der Wunder Wiener, a food stand he operated for more than 30 years, he told WOBM when he called into Bob Levy's Topic A talk show last Sunday morning.

But he will try and locate farther away from Route 9 next time, he told host Jeremy Grunin.

The Beachwood councilman told host Jeremy Grunin that when the SUV, driven by Mark Poplawski of Forked RIver, crashed into his on June 11 it was "the loudest noise" he had ever heard.

His niece Charissa Fromm said she missed the radio call.

"But it’s a great sign that he’s talking about it," she said.

The day of the accident was LaCrosse's day off. But he often stopped by to drop off supplies for the rest of the week. Unfortunately, he stopped by earlier that day then his usual time, Fromm told Patch.

SubscribeThe community has rallied around the popular businessman and public official ever since the accident.

A gofundme accountwas set up for the family to help with expenses five days ago. As of Friday afternoon, $10,770 has been raised out of a $15,000 goal. If you would like to donate, click here.

And the Berkeley P.B.A. 237 and the Beachwood Pine Beach P.B.A. 253 are teaming up to hold a fundraiser for LaCrosse and his family on July 5, July 6 and July 7. It will be held on the spot where the popular business was once located.

The event will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Police will sell hot dogs and other items similar to what LaCrosse sold in his longtime business in front of the old Beachwood Shopping Center.

LaCrosse underwent several surgeries due to the internal bleeding he suffered when he was pinned under the building that was his business and his family's livelihood for more than 30 years.

Photos: Courtesy of gofundme.com, a Patch promotional partner