UPDATE: Bon Jovi Join Fundraising Efforts to Help Former Crew Member
There's no shortage of rock stars who sing about taking care of family and sticking up for the working man, but it's a lot harder to actually show up and help out when it really counts. Hats off to Bon Jovi, then, for doing right by longtime tech Joe Dorosz in his hour of need.
AZFamily reports that Dorosz, who spent decades as a member of the crew for a long list of major acts, has been dealing with an array of serious health issues recently — he underwent spinal fusion surgery last year after being diagnosed with spinal stenosis, and suffered a hemorrhagic stroke shortly after his surgery. The lifesaving craniectomy doctors subsequently performed came with its own host of side effects, and Dorosz's long road to recovery has just begun.
To help defray the spiraling costs of care, Dorosz's family has started a crowdfunding campaign, explaining that "No one can predict when he will be able to return to the life he loves and his source of income ... the music industry. His fiance is doing what she can, financially, to ensure that the mortgage and household bills are take care of, but it is quite a load for her to take on by herself. Then, there are the hospital bills. Even with health insurance coverage, the medical bills that are streaming in are beyond overwhelming. Those benefits are reaching their limits."
Those fundraising efforts are getting a major helping hand from Bon Jovi. The band has announced its intent to match all donations to the campaign, with drummer Tico Torres writing, "JD has worked with me from the beginning and we’ll be missing him on the road this year. Any help you can send his way is appreciated."
Dorosz's GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $55,000 in a month, with an ultimate goal of $75,000. To learn more or chip in, visit the campaign page.
UPDATED: Bon Jovi are also taking part in a partnership with the Phoenix Suns and eBay for Charity. In addition to two pairs of season game tickets, the band is donating signed tour programs, bandannas, hats and shirts to a new auction. The proceeds benefit the Phoenix Suns Charities and the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, and is happening now.
Bon Jovi's tour in support of This House Is Not for Sale wraps up at the Pepsi Center in Denver on April 14. Check out all the dates for Bon Jovi tickets here.
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