A GoFundMe has been set up for two newly married Santa Clarita residents stuck in Tahiti after the groom suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury.
John and Alana Knight were married on April 7 after a courtship that began on Match.com and culminated in a proposal in New York’s Wild Animal Park.
The couple set off on their honeymoon in Bora Bora shortly after — but on April 20, John Knight fractured his C-7 vertebrae after jumping into the water. He was taken via boat gurney to the nearest emergency medical center on Tahiti for emergency surgery.
Knight is currently stable in the ICU, but suffered major spinal cord trauma and is receiving major oxygen treatments every four hours due to lung complications. He has limited feeling in his legs, but the new couple is facing uncertain expenses for medical bills.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help with all the costs, including coordinating his medical travel back to the United States. Although Knight has insurance, further expenses are still unknown and the couple does not know when they can come back to Santa Clarita.
A friend to the couple, Tina Miller, said any support for the Knights would be appreciated.
As of Tuesday, the GoFundMe has raised $72,000 out of a goal of $200,000.
