Students gathered in the Witte Hall backyard yesterday to raise medical funds for the family of UW-Madison freshman Jason Gratzl who fell Aug. 28 from a second-floor Mifflin Street balcony and is currently in a coma.
\The overall goal of this project is to help out Jason's family as far as medical assessments and to get the community involved in helping out a fellow Badger,"" said Michael Griffin, UW-Madison junior and the resident of the Mifflin Street home where the accident happened
Gratzl has been hospitalized since and has been slowly improving, according to his parents.
""He's stable, he's improving and we're hoping in the next couple of days ... we're going to be moving him to rehabilitation,"" said Bob Gratzl, Jason's father.
Following the accident Griffin, along with Gratzl's roommate, UW-Madison freshman Tim Harris, teamed up to help out and spread support for Gratzl.
""We want to help everybody realize that this is something that could happen to them and it changes their life, and we need to do as much as we can to help him ... graduate a Badger,"" Griffin said.
""We are helping so when he wakes up he'll realize how much people missed him and how much they cared,"" Harris said.
The pair had been working since the accident to come up with a fundraising plan.
""We basically met with Witte Hall coordinators to find out what steps we needed to [take],"" Griffin said.
The two organized an afternoon of music, food, volleyball, games and raffles to raise money. Local companies such as Chipotle, Jamba Juice and State Street Brats contributed gift certificates and donations to help the cause.
""I just think this is a really cool idea that they put all this together and I want to help in any way I can,"" said Katie White, UW-Madison freshman. ""It just shows that our students really care.""
While the fundraiser's main focus was helping out Gratzl's family, a deeper goal was prevalent: to raise awareness about drinking.
""It seems to be something that a lot of kids can relate to in a way because drinking is such a big part of this campus,"" said UW-Madison senior Sarah Edgemond. ""I really hope it makes people think before they go out drinking.""
While alcohol was a major theme, the fundraiser showed the overwhelming support of the students.
""Not knowing who Jason is, not meeting him personally, shows that there is a lot of character here,"" Angie Gratzl, Jason's mother, said. ""Kids get a bad rap because others think they don't care, but that's not true-they do care.""
