Almost £680,000 has been raised in just over 24 hours for the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team member injured in a callout earlier this month.
Chris Lewis, 60, sustained life-changing injuries when he fell 150 metres on rough steep ground while responding to a call from wild campers at Red Screes, above Kirkstone Pass on February 6.
It has been reported he will never walk again.
He was flown to Preston hospital’s intensive care unit by a HM Coastguard helicopter and it is believed he suffered spinal and facial injuries.
The £500,000 fund was set up on Monday to to provide him and his family the support he will need for the rest of his life.
Within six hours, it had topped £100,000 – its original target – and this morning stands at ££676,274.
More than 31,000 people have donated online.
A post on social media from Patterdale Mountain Rescue said: “The support and generosity has been phenomenal. Thank you all.”
The camper, from Leicester, who was with a man from Liverpool, called out mountain rescue because he was suffering from chest pains.
He had to be rescued by other teams and was taken to hospital and released later the same day.
They were both fined £200 by Cumbria police.
Patterdale Mountain Rescue’s charitable purpose does not allow it to raise funds for this purpose but the treasurer of the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association, John Bamforth, has established a JustGiving fund to enable donations to be collected.
Visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Chris-Lewis-Support-Fund-LDSAMRA-Patterdale-MRT to donate.
