A local teen is stuck in a hospital more than 4,000 miles from home after surviving a 30-foot fall that broke one of his vertebrae and shattered another.
Alex Kalscheur, an 18-year-old from the southside, was stargazing in the French Alps in France with family friends when he fell 30 feet off a ledge earlier this month. He sustained serious back injuries, and is unable to leave his hospital bed in Grenoble, France.
His family received the call at 6 a.m. on July 7, telling them their son was in an accident.
“The first thing was we were in shock,” his father Michael Kalscheur said. “Then, we started looking at airline tickets.”
His parents drove to Cincinnati to board a flight to Paris a day later. They did not get to see their son until 48 hours after they got that call, Michael Kalscheur said. And when they arrived at the hospital, the language barrier kept them from immediately finding out the condition their son was in, he said.
“It was just torture,” Michael Kalscheur said. “Thinking he’s probably in pain and we can’t do anything.”
Michael Kalscheur recently returned home from France to work and take care of the family. He talks to his wife, Amy Kalscheur, regularly.
Because of the nature of his injuries, Alex has feeling in his legs, but has no control over his motor skills, Michael Kalscheur said. Wednesday morning, Alex sat up for the first time since the accident.
His family wants to bring him home to get the rehabilitation he needs to start his recovery process.
“French and American rehab aren’t on the same page,” Michael Kalscheur said. “American rehab is more intense and that’s what he needs.”
Since he cannot sit up well with little control over his lower body, Alex is unable to return home on a commercial airline flight. A medical flight home can cost up to $150,000, Michael Kalscheur said.
Family friends have worked to set up fundraisers to get Alex home. Family friend Marcy Renken and other friends of the family gathered together to come up with ways to raise the money, she said. The GoFundMe raised more than $70,000 alone in about a week.
Juggling work, seven other kids and caring for Alex, Michael Kalscheur said their family is thankful to have friends to help them.
Alex, known for his outgoing personality and trademark sunglasses, is very active in his community, his father said. He is an Eagle Scout, a manager at the McDonald’s near the Greenwood Park Mall, a black belt in Taekwondo and an active member at his church, Our Lady of the Greenwood Church. He also loves to dance.
“He looks like a cool kid, but he’s really down to earth and sweet,” Renken said. “He loves to say hi and tell you that you are welcome.”
Alex has seven siblings, with the two oldest living out of the house now. He helps out with the family a lot since he is the oldest living in the house, his father said. He is particularly close with his sister, Sophia.
“It hit her pretty hard because they see each other a lot,” Michael Kalscheur said. “She’s been a trouper. Alex was the go-to person when mom and dad aren’t around and now she’s stepped up.”
A tradition among the Kalscheur family is dancing, Michael Kalscheur said. They host an annual “No Barn Barn Dance” each year. Friends and family gather at the Kalscheur home for traditional barn dancing, without the barn.
This year, a dinner, dance and silent auction fundraiser called, Get Alex Dancing Again, is planned on the day the Kalscheur family was supposed to have the No Barn Barn dance. Renken said they hope to have 400 people attend the event.
Other fundraisers are planned, including a Dine to Donate at Firehouse Subs in Greenwood and a yard sale.
Donations for Alex are coming from not only the community, but also from people living in France who heard about his accident.
“It’s amazing, the generosity,” Michael Kalscheur said. “Friends and complete strangers have helped us.”
“It’s incredible and we are unbelievably blessed. This is totally done by friends. We are overwhelmed.”
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A number of events are planned to benefit the fund to bring Alex home:
Dine to Donate
When: Thursday
Where: Firehouse Subs, 884 US Highway 31 N., Greenwood.
Mention Alex Kalscheur to the cashier.
Get Alex Dancing Dinner/Auction/Dance
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Our Lady of Greenwood Church, 335 S. Meridian St., Greenwood.
The pasta dinner is $10 per person at the door, with a reservation. Entrance to just the auction and dance is free.
RSVP: getalexdancing.eventbrite.com
To bring items to the auction, contact Tracey Reagan at 317-412-0434.
Yard sale
When: 8 a.m. Aug. 4.
Where: 68 Vermilian Drive, Whiteland.
GoFundMe page
Donations can also be made to gofundme.com/982pa-bring-alex-home
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