Thursday, December 28, 2006

Young and screwed

“If [Eugene] doesn't get the operation, he's probably going to lose his joint to degenerative diseases in the next few years. We really care about him. We really want him to get better.” --JC
ON SATURDAY, I mentioned the plight of IVC semi-denizen Eugene Ipavec, who, I said, recently suffered a terrible accident, leaving him flat and broken and flat broke (Let’s come to the aid of a friend).

On Tuesday, Jorge Barrientos profiled our desolate friend for the OC Register: Irvine Valley College teachers, students help friend in need. Here are some excerpts from Jorge's article:
...Lisa Alvarez, a professor and chair of the English department at Irvine Valley, her colleagues and college friends are trying to get Eugene Ipavec, 26, on his feet after he broke a leg in a scooter accident that has left him disabled and "in a funk," with no medical insurance, no money and no will to write…Ipavec suffered a vertical fracture on his tibia after a scooter accident Dec. 7. He was taken to Tustin Hospital and Medical Center, where a splint was placed on the leg….

Ipavec came to Tustin from Slovenia when he was 12. He joined [Lisa's] creative writing workshop at Irvine Valley about four years ago where he wowed friends and teachers with his writing about his past home, politics and life as an immigrant.


…[Since then,] He has been published in the Santa Monica Review, the longest-running literary arts magazine in Southern California, and he has had opinion pieces published in the Orange County Register.

…"I haven't done much writing lately," he said. "I haven't been in the right frame of mind. This whole disaster has somewhat changed my perspective." [Note: this is an instance of absurdist understatement on E's part.]

Since the accident, [SMR editor Andrew] Tonkovich, Alvarez and friends have been transporting Ipavec to and from medical centers, searching for ways to get him medical insurance and care.

To make matters worse, Ipavec's father, Gene, 75, fell off the front porch and injured his leg and also needs medical help [both are confined to wheelchairs]. Gene is retired and gets a small government pension – not enough to pay hospital and ambulance bills. The two live alone in a mobile home in Tustin.

…Alvarez and friends have set up a bank account to collect donations for Ipavec, and his best friend, Jonathan Cohen, made a Web site and blog where people can donate and get information on Ipavec.

Eugene Ipavec Medical Fund
Orange County Teachers Federal Credit Union
P.O. Box 11547
Santa Ana, 92711-1547
Account Number: 15674902

See also:

● www.jkcohen.com/eugene --and

● www.jkcohen.com/wordpress
Yesterday, Jonathan wrote me, offering a classic Jonathanism:
Dear [Chunk]:

It’s worth noting … that Governor Schwarzenegger, after breaking his leg on a ski junket to Idaho, received surgery within three days. By comparison, Eugene will not get surgery for several months.

It’s good to be king, with the best health insurance state money can buy; it sucks to be E.
Yup.

Well, Eugene will get his surgery in "several months"--IF we collect enough dough!

And, who knows? Maybe Eugene the scribe will come through this thing, not only sans funk, but par excellence!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This kid sounds like he's good. How come he doesn't write for DtB?

Anonymous said...

Love your graphics.

Anonymous said...

Tell us more about Eugene!

Anonymous said...

Rebel Girl will try and post some of Eugene's work once she gets back from south of the border...'til then...carry on!

Anonymous said...

Great to hear from you, Rebel Girl! --RB

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...