Man 'Fighting For His Life' After Freak Tire Accident In Wayne

WAYNE, NJ — A man is fighting for his life two days after he was struck by a blown tire while riding his bike in Wayne.

Jim DeSalvo is in critical condition and fighting for his life at a hospital after a wheel blew, detached from a dump truck, and hit him while he was riding his bike on Black Oak Ridge Road Wednesday.

DeSalvo's friends started a GoFundMe to raise money to fund his recovery and so his wife, Cat, can remain by his side. DeSalvo and his wife work freelance and do not have paid time off, said Ruth Cleary, a family friend who started the GoFundMe campaign.

Related: Blown Tire Critically Injures Wayne Bicyclist: Police

"His wife, Cat, is by his side and will be out of work for an undetermined amount of time to help him fight through this like the stubborn mule he is and that we all know and love," Cleary said. "This will be a long and precarious process. Cat needs to be able to stay by his side as much as possible and to help him and her family through this without worrying about work."

More than $24,000 has been donated to the online campaign since it went live Thursday. Cleary wants to raise $50,000.

"A true Jersey gentleman, accomplished musician and recording artist, and a devoted father to James and Rebecca and husband to Cat, [DeSalvo] is the kind of person who comes to your aid in a heartbeat, any time of the day or night, no hesitation," Cleary said. "Now he needs our help."

The dump truck was fully loaded with asphalt when the tire blew out. No charges were filed against the driver, however authorities are still investigating what happened, Valdes said.

The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office asked that anyone with information about the incident to call their tips line at 1-877-370-7276 or email tips@passaiccountynj.org.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com