Family needs help

“We are at the limit – but only Julian counts!”

Julian is fighting his way back into life, and his parents are helping him every spare minute they have.(Bild: zVg)

A teenager from the district of Vöcklabruck suffered extremely serious head injuries in a moped accident in May and struggled with death. His parents are supporting the now 16-year-old in every spare moment on his very rocky road back to life. In addition to the enormous burdens, there are now also financial challenges. 

All of a sudden, another mother came to the door and said that Julian had had a serious accident and that the helicopter was already there," Andrea recalls that fateful evening on May 9 of this year, when the life of the family of four from the Vöcklabruck district was to change forever.

Julian, who was still 15 years old at the time, was riding his moped with friends when he overlooked an approaching truck at a junction. He was hit from the side and suffered extremely serious head injuries. "He was in acute danger, the bleeding was so severe that the emergency doctor couldn't predict the outcome. He just said that it would be a difficult walk," says dad Mario.

"That was the next piece of bad news"
Julian spent six weeks in a deep sleep at the Kepler University Hospital in Linz - for a long time it was uncertain whether he would survive at all. "Then the doctors didn't know whether he would ever wake up from his deep sleep - and when he finally woke up, his eyes were open but he wasn't responding. That was the next piece of bad news," says Mario. Postscript: "It could have stayed that way, but fortunately it got better and better in small steps!"

Julian can now even understand everything again and communicate with individual words. However, the left side of his body is still impaired and his hand is spastic. He can only move his foot slightly, but cannot stand on it. Most recently, he had a titanium plate implanted in his head because it was open due to the massive bleeding. "Nobody knows how it will develop. We hope that he will be able to lead an independent life at some point."

Julian has a hard road ahead of him, but the family is sticking together and helping him.(Bild: zVg)

"You have to put yourself on the back burner"
Julian was in hospital for almost seven months. His parents, who both work, spent every free minute with their son. "We go almost every day, it's really exhausting. You're at rock bottom, but somehow it works - and now the renovation work is also starting so that everything in the house is barrier-free," Andrea and Mario are at their limit. "But first and foremost it's all about Julian, you have to put yourself on the back burner. It's moments like these that make you realize how much love a mom and dad have for their child. That's all that matters."

Julian, his dad and his older brother Fabian (from left) were still able to laugh together last Christmas.(Bild: zVg)

100,000 euros for conversion, electric wheelchair and car
None of this would have been possible without the support of friends and family, but also the very accommodating employers, Stahlgruber GmbH and Taxi Marek - and they will still be needed, especially as Julian has now come to Rohrbach-Berg for rehab. His mother always has to be there to accompany him, as she has taken hospice leave. 100,000 euros for conversion, car and electric wheelchair In addition to the burdens, there is now also financial uncertainty.

Donor information

Dear readers! If you would like to help the family, please donate to our "Krone" special account at Hypo Oberösterreich under the reference "Moped accident". IBAN: AT76 5400 0000 0040 0002 BIC: OBLAAT2L Donors can also choose to be published in the print edition of the "OÖ-Krone". However, if you wish to remain anonymous, please state this explicitly when making your payment. Donations are also tax-deductible!

"The best-case scenario would be that Julian needs nothing more than the new bathroom, but in the worst-case scenario he also needs an electric wheelchair and a new car. We are expecting up to 100,000 euros!" And that's not even mentioning all-round care. "Where will we get it and not steal it?" the family, who will be celebrating Christmas together at the rehabilitation center this year, is also hoping for support from Krone readers.