Former U.S. Representative Michael Grimm, a Republican from New York, has recently experienced a life-altering incident. Following a horse riding accident at a polo tournament, he is now paralyzed from the chest down. Friends of the former lawmaker have initiated fundraising efforts to cover the costs of his medical care.
Grimm, aged 54, sustained his serious injury in September and is currently receiving rehabilitation treatment at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey. This facility is known for treating individuals with similar injuries, including late actor Christopher Reeve after his equestrian accident in 1995. Vincent Ignizio, a friend of Grimm and a former member of the New York City Council, has shared details about the situation.
Ignizio highlighted that Grimm had been passionate about polo for many years. “It was a significant part of his life, and the tragic accident occurred at the end of September,” he said. To assist with Grimm’s ongoing medical expenses, Ignizio has launched a GoFundMe account.
Before the accident, Grimm had a diverse career. He served in the Marine Corps and worked as an FBI agent before becoming a Congressman, representing Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn from 2011 until 2015. However, his congressional career was overshadowed by a federal investigation that started in 2012, leading to a 20-count indictment regarding the misreporting of wages and tax fraud related to his Manhattan restaurant.
Despite being indicted, Grimm won reelection in 2014 but later pled guilty to one charge of tax fraud, resulting in his resignation from Congress in January 2015. He spent eight months in prison due to the conviction.
Grimm attempted a political comeback in 2018 but lost the Republican primary against Dan Donovan, the incumbent at the time, who subsequently lost the general election to Democrat Max Rose. Following that, Republican Nicole Malliotakis took over the district in 2020 and has held the position since.
In recent times, Grimm has been involved in broadcasting work as a host for Newsmax. As of Monday afternoon, the GoFundMe campaign for his medical expenses had successfully raised $118,000. Ignizio stated, “His ultimate goal is to regain the ability to walk again.”
