More than $200K raised for father and son who were struck by a vehicle in Sherwood Park
The community is rallying around a Sherwood Park man and his son who were hit by a vehicle earlier this week.
Ryan Brodziak, his infant son Ozzy, and his dog Gouda were hit by a vehicle driven by a 66-year-old man while walking on a sidewalk on Georgian Way on Tuesday.
Police say the vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic, jumped the curb, and ended up on a lawn.
A GoFundMe page set up for the family says Brodziak suffered a "significant spinal cord injury," and remains paralyzed.
Eleven-month-old Ozzy suffered a skull fracture.
Gouda was taken to a vet with minor injuries and has since been released.
Ryan Brodziak (Source: GoFundMe)
Brodziak is a well-known restaurateur in the Edmonton metro area who's been involved in ventures such as The Local Omnivore, Gravy and the Pink Gorilla pizzeria.
Last winter, he biked 165 kilometres to raise thousands of dollars for Boyle Street Community Services.
His brother is former Edmonton Oiler Kyle Brodziak.
The fundraiser for the family had raised $190,000 by Thursday afternoon with 1,700 donations.
"Money is not going to make the problem go away, but it definitely helps," family friend John Iatridis told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday.
"If he doesn't have to worry about any financial burdens, he can concentrate on healing and getting better and getting back to where he needs to be for his wife, his son and himself."
Iatridis has known Brodziak since they were teenagers.
"He was just always polite and a happy guy, just a good, positive attitude all the time. And he's just stayed like that," Iatridis said of his friend.
"He's a sweet guy, and I know he'll come through this."
Peter Nguyen, the co-owner of Sea Change Brewery, has known Brodziak for 20 years.
"We never really want to live in a state of fear, but in the blink of an eye, something can change so quickly," he said.
"He's just been the nicest human being. Whether you've seen him yesterday or you haven't seen him in years, he's just a welcoming guy."
Crystal Power, owner of Caffreys In The Park, also donated to the fundraiser.
She doesn't know Brodziak personally felt it was important to support the cause.
"I knew that he was a restaurant owner. I have been to that restaurant, and I know multiple people who have worked with him in the past at other places," she told CTV News Edmonton.
"There's the six degrees of separation, but also he's a small business owner himself, and I definitely relate to that."
Police say the man driving the vehicle that hit Brodziak wasn't injured.
Speed and alcohol are not believed to be factors in the crash.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Miriam Valdes-Carletti
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
FACT CHECK: A look at the false and misleading claims made during the Trump-Harris debate
In their first and perhaps only debate, former U.S. president Donald Trump and U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris described the state of the country in starkly different terms. As the two traded jabs, some old false and misleading claims emerged along with some new ones.
Harris-Trump U.S. presidential debate offers different visions for America's future
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump made their case to American voters during a debate in Philadelphia, during which the Democratic U.S. vice president and former Republican U.S. president laid out different visions for America's future.
Key takeaways from a debate that featured tense clashes and closed with a Taylor Swift endorsement
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris faced each other on the debate stage for the first — and possibly the last — time.
Calls for more protections for Canadian bank clients amid rise in scams
When two Ontario women were scammed out of more than $80,000 in separate bank investigator scams, they thought they would be reimbursed by their banks and were shocked when they weren't.
Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris for U.S. president after debate ends
Taylor Swift, one of the music industry's biggest stars, endorsed Kamala Harris for president shortly after the debate ended on Tuesday night.
Most of Canada is predicted to have a warmer-than-normal fall: The Weather Network
Don't put away your summer wardrobe just yet – The Weather Network says most Canadians are in for a warm fall.
'Patently unreasonable': Order for tenants to pay $18K for leaks overturned by B.C. judge
An arbitrator's decision ordering two renters to cover more than $18,000 in repairs following a water leak at their landlord's home was "patently unreasonable," a B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled.
Trump insists Russia's war should end. But he won't say if he wants Ukraine to win
Former U.S. president Donald Trump spoke heatedly in the presidential debate about wanting Russia's war in Ukraine to be over — but twice refused to directly answer a question about whether he wanted U.S. ally Ukraine to win.
U.S. commemorates 9/11 attacks with victims in focus, but politics in view
The U.S. is remembering the lives taken and those reshaped by 9/11, marking an anniversary laced this year with presidential campaign politics.