Funds set up to help Aspen family after Don Bird’s bike accident
People wanting to help or stay updated on the condition of Aspen resident Don Bird, who has been hospitalized in the Denver area since a serious bike crash July 28 on Maroon Creek Road, have several options.
At Alpine Bank, an account called “Donald Bird Benefit” is open for contributions. People can make deposits at any Alpine Bank location or can send checks, money orders or cashier’s checks to the the attention of Mary Ryerson, Alpine Bank President, 600 E. Hopkins Ave. Suite 001, Aspen, CO 81611.
Austin Owen and Anderson Cole, who are friends of the family, also are crowd-sourcing donations on the GoFundMe site.
“All proceeds will help Don and his family in covering medical and associated expenses (food, gas, hotel, etc.) that will allow Don’s family to be with him in Denver. Any amount big or small is greatly appreciated,” said the page, which can be found at gofundme.com and searching “Don Bird.”
The Bird family also has set up a presence on the Caring Bridge website to provide updates on his condition. Bird’s wife, Molly Ireland, said she is giving updates on her personal Facebook page and people can befriend her if they want to learn more.
Bird, 73, suffered eight broken ribs, a broken pelvis and scapula, a spinal break, facial fractures and brain injuries from the single bike crash. Before noon Tuesday, Ireland said he had not shown much progress in the last day but was showing signs of movement, including some coughing in the middle of the night.
Bird currently is in intensive care at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, which is on the outskirts of Denver. Ireland has been staying in the area for the entire duration, and has been joined by their son Jack, who lives in San Francisco, and daughter Molly, a teacher at Basalt public schools. Ireland, Pitkin County Library’s adult fiction collection developer, said they are taking it day to day and are grateful for the community’s support.
Bird retired in March 2018 after 27 years as administrator of the Pitkin County Jail. He has spent his retirement volunteering, doing church work, bicycle riding, rooting for the New York Yankees, skiing and hanging out with his family, among other activities.
