Fundraiser Launched For Tour Manager Gerry Lee After Stroke

By Aaron Brophy

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to support Gerry Lee, the tour manager for veteran Canadian rocker Tom Cochrane, who suffered a stroke in September, and whose "big heart" has his friends and associates stepping up to help.

The GoFundMe campaign, launched Dec. 9, has set a goal of $60,000 to help fund Lee's home care, food, rent, a wheelchair and customizations to his residence. In its first few days, the outreach program has raised over $5,000. 

According to the post on the Lee GoFundMe page, on Sept. 12 he "had a massive stroke and was rushed to the hospital in Toronto where the doctors worked on him to the best of their ability but he suffered brain damage and lost the function of the right side of his body. As of today, he’s slowly recovering in a rehabilitation centre. He still doesn’t have function in his right arm and leg, but he can now slowly speak and has just been able to eat solid food."

The fundraising effort was set up by Bill Bell, a producer, musician and long-time guitarist for Cochrane. – More details available on the SamaritanMag website.