By Jason Klaiber
Staff Writer
Two graduates of Jamesville-DeWitt High School started a GoFundMe page for a friend and former classmate of theirs recently involved in a motorcycle accident.
Zach Gentile reportedly lost control of his Kawasaki Ninja 650R motorcycle and struck a guardrail while exiting Interstate-481 just north of Jamesville Road in DeWitt the morning of Aug. 12.
Police attributed the crash to an apparent “lack of experience,” but Gentile said he swerved after seeing a deer in the road.
The accident left Gentile with a broken arm and a leg in need of amputation.
Gentile was taken to Community General Hospital after the crash, where he was listed in stable condition.
Brady Wing, who graduated from Jamesville-DeWitt with Gentile in 2015, had been on his way to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, for a vacation when he heard about his friend’s accident.
With the help of former classmate Anthony Cacchione and others in the J-D community, Wing created a GoFundMe page to raise money to help cover Gentile’s medical expenses, including the costs of his initial hospitalization, the amputation, a prosthetic leg, other surgeries and a stay in rehab.
“That’s kind of what we thought would be the best way to help out Zach for the time being,” Wing said. “We just wanted to be able to support, because we obviously felt terrible.”
He said the page will potentially grab the attention of those who might know Gentile while opening up the opportunity for people to assist him from any location.
Wing said he was relieved just to know that Gentile, who had been wearing a helmet at the time, survived the accident.
“I was just so happy to hear he was OK and alive,” Wing said. “At the end of the day, he’s very fortunate.”
Wing said Gentile has managed to remain “optimistic,” posting Snapchats from his hospital bed and still managing to have a smile on his face.
“He doesn’t have any brain damage,” Wing said. “He’s still Zach. I think that’s the best news about it.”
The GoFundMe page aims to raise $10,000 in funds for Gentile.
“I think that Zach’s stronger than a lot of people and he’s capable of overcoming this without a doubt,” Wing said. “He would always do anything for anybody. That’s why he’s getting the support he’s been getting. That’s why we all want to support him in any way we can.”
Gentile said he was “at a loss of words” and “grateful” upon seeing the support shown through the GoFundMe page
To donate, visit the Jamesville-based “Raise money for Zach Gentile!” page on the GoFundMe site.
