On October 2nd, our dear friend Gary Nicoll was in a devastating car accident that left him with multiple fractures, internal injuries, and a traumatic brain injury known as a Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI) — one of the most severe forms of head trauma. Life changed instantly for Gary, his wife Amanda, and their six-month old daughter, Lucy.
Since that day, Gary has been in the ICU at Albany Medical Center, surrounded by machines, doctors, and the unwavering love of his family and friends. In the midst of all of the uncertainty, he’s shown flickers of fight — one small sign at a time that remind us he’s trying to find his way back.
Amanda, a speech-language pathologist with a passion for helping patients recover from traumatic brain injuries, knows better than most how long and difficult the road ahead can be. Even with that knowledge, nothing could prepare her for living it firsthand — balancing hospital updates, making complex decisions, and caring for Lucy at home. Her strength through every step of this nightmare has been extraordinary. The emotional toll is immense. The financial one is crushing: ICU bills, rehabilitation, therapy, lost wages, and childcare costs will stretch far beyond what insurance covers.
This GoFundMe has been created to help ease that burden — to give Amanda one less thing to worry about so she can focus entirely on Gary’s recovery and Lucy’s well-being.
Gary has always been the first to show up for others — the friend you call when you need help, the guy who can make anyone laugh, the steady presence who makes every room better. Now it’s our turn to show up for him.
Every donation, every share, every prayer — it all matters. It gives Amanda strength. It gives Gary the best possible chance to heal. And it reminds this beautiful young family that they are not in this fight alone.
