Fundraiser Surges For Mendham Cyclist Hit By Car

MENDHAM, NJ — A GoFundMe fundraiser for a Mendham man who is recovering at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, continues to gain momentum.

Jim Rooney was critically injured on Dec. 26 as he was cycling four miles from home on a 30-mile trek. when a car hit him.

The force threw him 30 feet from his bike, according to the fundraiser, which as of Thursday has raised more than $60,000 of its $250,000 goal.

He was rushed to Morristown Medical Center, where he started his extensive recovery for two weeks in intensive care for a traumatic brain injury and from multiple broken bones, which now continues at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.

Not all of his care in intensive rehabilitation is covered by insurance, the fundraiser states.

Another emotional difficulty for Rooney, his wife Carolyn - who needed to take a leave of absence from work - and their two teenage children, are the pandemic-related visitation restrictions.

Fundraiser organizer Megan McDowell described Jim Rooney and his family as “an extremely close-knit team who are loved by many.”

“The Rooneys have given so much love to others,” McDowell wrote. “It is our hope that we can now offer love and support back to them.”

Click here to view the fundraiser for Rooney.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.