Fund established for Alex Romero

July 8, 2009

A Wellington (Colorado) boy injured in a June 2 bicycle accident enjoyed national attention for the oddity of his injury, but now harsh reality is setting in for the family.

On June 2, 10-year-old Alex Romero had surgery at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins to remove a brake handle embedded in his abdominal area following a crash on his bike. Fortunately, the metal object missed all major organs, but Alex still spent several days in the hospital.

His father, Ron Romero, said as of July 2 medical bills had reached $60,000, and he expected more.

“The bills have just been piling in,” he said.

The Romero family, however, has no health insurance. Romero said he and his wife, April, have temporary, part-time jobs. When laid off from his full-time job, Romero said, he could not afford to continue the medical coverage offered through his former employer’s insurance plan.

To help the family pay its medical expenses, a fund has been established at First National Bank in Wellington (Colorado). Checks may be made payable to the Alex Romero Donation Fund and mailed to the bank at P.O. Box 460, Wellington CO 80549.

Reflecting on how people responded to the family emergency, Romero said, “We want to thank friends, family, the town and Poudre Valley Hospital.”