Federal Hill Restaurant Works To Help Woman Injured On Vacation

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (WJZ) -- It's a family's worst nightmare: an accident taking place while far from home. That's what happened to an Owings Mills woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury while on vacation.

Ron Matz has the story and how a Federal Hill restaurant and the community is reaching out to help.

Jennifer Granek's family describes her as an amazing wife, mother and a great athlete, but she was seriously injured riding an ATV while on vacation in Costa Rica.

"They were in Costa Rica for Jennifer's 40th birthday. Her husband Brian wanted it to be a special time for her. They had planned four days of adventure and four days of beach. The adventure came first," said David Granek, her father-in-law. "During an ATV ride, Jennifer lost control of her ATV. It ran off the road and she catapulted forward over the front of the ATV and struck her head. She was rendered unconscious."

She has been in a medically induced coma for the past month. She's now being treated at Shock Trauma.

"She was carried out of the rain forest to an aid station. Then she was flown in a rain storm to a hospital in San Jose, Costa Rica. They did two wonderful, magical things in the 28 days she was there: they saved her life and they made her stable enough to be transported," Granek said. "Jen has been in a medically induced coma. She is in the very best possible place in the world. That she has a chance to recover and regain everything she had before and that's Maryland Shock Trauma---they have an amazing, amazing staff there."

But it's going to be expensive.

"The fundraising friends have been doing for Jennifer is unbelievable. This is a long road. It's going to be expensive," Granek said.

That's where Alan Morstein, the owner of Regi's and a long-time family friend, stepped in.

"I had to do it. It feels great; I can't wait to do it. We're giving 25% of our sales all day Wednesday starting at 10 a.m. and continuing til 11 p.m. Come by and make a donation. These people mean so much to the community and now it's our turn to help them," Morstein said. "My wife and I were following it on Facebook. We were overwhelmed by the story. We thought that could be our kids; that could be us."

He's collecting money and donating 25% of his sales Wednesday.

"I just wanted to give back. I said, `Can we do something?' You immerse yourself in these situations and the community that has helped you so much, now they need your help. You have to step up.," Morstein said. "I wanted to show my support for this family and for the community. The Pikesville/Owings Mills community has been so wonderful to Regi's over the years."

Jen Granek's fundraiser at Regi's begins at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

So far, her friends and family have raised more than $182,000 to help pay her medical bills. For more information, click here.