Request for help: Joe Reichart who runs the Amlings Toys for Tots bike ride suffered an aneurysm

Joe Reichart who runs the Amlings Toys for Tots bike ride suffered an aneurysm in November and needs help with his medical treatment. Please consider donating.

https://redbasket.org/787

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 2, 2015 at 8:09pm

Joe's a good guy. I was very sorry to hear this news. I hope that Joe can make a good recovery.

I donated. I hope that some of you can help, too.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 3, 2015 at 7:27am

In addition to donating if you can, consider participating in the Toys for Tots ride:

http://toyridechicago.com/

Joe puts his heart and soul into this ride, and it can do nothing but good for him to know that it is going strong while he takes this short break.

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Permalink Reply by David Barish on December 3, 2015 at 9:52am

Thanks Yasmeen. I was away from my computer all day and glad tosee that you put this up. I have known Joe for nearly 20 years. I first rode with him with the Evanston Bike Club. He took the risk and left a regular job so he could follow his dream and open a bike shop. Joe has been running Amlings in Niles for over 10 years. He has made Amlings a destination shop for people who want recumbent machines. He began the toy ride in association with the Marines Toys for Tots drive shortly after opening the shop. He is always a delight when you come into the shop using a mixture of honesty, knowledge and humor. Joe is fighting hard and hopes are very high. However, it will be a long recovery and there is still a lot of danger ahead for him. Once he gets better and back to doing what he loves, selling bikes, he will have to deal with the unfathomable cost of dealing with this. He is lucky to have great hospital and medical help but it comes with a cost.

In the meantime, the Toy Ride is still a go. Joe's main squeeze, partner and former coordinator for the North Shore Century, Julie Keating has everything in hand. That of course is in between being there for Joe and keeping Amlings running.

Please consider dropping whatever you can into this fund. Also, please consider riding in the Toy Ride so we can all tell him what he missed.

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Permalink Reply by ronald k rodriguez on December 4, 2015 at 4:05am

Joe is a great person!

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Permalink Reply by Bob on December 4, 2015 at 2:58pm

he definitely is a good man,,,,i donated and am planning on doing the ride! Speedy recovery Joe!!!

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 7, 2015 at 4:31am

*bump*

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Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on December 10, 2015 at 2:06pm

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-85282701/

Toys for Tots short on donations for kids in need, issues appeal for help.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 11, 2015 at 7:36am

The Toys for Tots ride went really well today. Riders were pleased to have a visit from Joe via video. Thankfully, he is recovering, but he spent 20 days in ICU! He is now in a rehabilitation center and will be there for a while. He can really use our help, so I am bumping this.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 11, 2015 at 7:42am

Glad to hear that the ride went well.

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Permalink Reply by David Barish on December 11, 2015 at 9:22am

There are now more ways to help. There is the Redbasket link that Yasmeen posted. I believe there is a separate crowdfunding link but do not have it at hand. Now, two of the recumbent bike manufacturers that have their bikes sold at Amlings have offered up a bike for raffle. There is a two wheel recumbent and a trike. I do not recall the names of the manufacturers. If you contact the shop you can buy a $5 raffle ticket for one of these bikes. The raffle will be open for a while and two winners will then ride off on a new bike while Joe will have some funds to pay for the staggering medical bills. So far he is a heartwarming success story. He was in an induced coma for a few weeks and at that time nobody knew what was going on inside his head. I visited him at the hospital yesterday and saw him walk about 20 feet with a nurse's assistance. He recognized me and introduced me to the nurse. He then told me that he was having balance issues and talked about the Toy Ride indicating that the big computer on the shoulders seems to be working pretty well. He delivered the safety speech this morning via a broadcast from the hospital and used humor and awareness. The brain is an amazing organ and Joe is an amazing guy.