NORWICH – A benefit for Shawn Witherow was held this past Sunday, Aug. 30 from noon until 4 p.m. at the Howard Johnson's Ballroom, which was donated by Dana Meyer-Gross, at Howard Johnson's.

“We raised a little more than $3000 at the benefit and the Go Fund Me is now over $1000,” said Celeste Bloomingdale, manager at Gus' Steak House and mother of her and Shawn's son, Cordell Witherow.

Shawn Witherow, 38, of Norwich, and a Norwich High School graduate in 1995, was involved in a bicycle accident on June 17, 2015.

“The ambulance service was here in less than like eight minutes, I heard the sirens coming basically before I even hung up the phone. People don’t give our local EMS crew enough credit, they were great,” said Denise Krygier, Shawn’s girlfriend of eight years.

The accident occurred when Shawn road his bicycle up onto a teeter-totter device designed for bike tricks. While on the device, it twisted causing Shawn to lose his balance and fall. Due to the impact of the fall, Shawn needed to be airlifted to Upstate Hospital in Syracuse where they discovered he had compressed his spine.

Shawn has since been diagnosed with central cord syndrome, which the recovery time for is approximately one year.

“He is regaining strength and movement every day, but is in need of our community's help,” said Bloomingdale.