By Jason Crane
Family and friends of Kim (Aigner) Weibring seek help for her long road of recovery and rehabilitation after her life changed in an instant January 16.
The mother of two little boys was eating dinner in her vehicle in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant on the far West Side of Aurora. Three unknown assailants yanked her from the SUV, shot her in the back, and left her laying in the parking lot with shattered vertebrae and a bullet lodged in her spinal cord.
Her vehicle was stolen, including her personal effects inside the vehicle as she was one of several victims of a carjacking spree in the Chicagoland area.
The next step in her recovery includes several surgeries to stabilize her spine to begin the healing process. Not allowed any visitors, her primary concern is getting back to her sons to care for them. When she finally leaves the hospital, her living space will need to be made wheelchair-accessible.
Her brother, Mike Aigner, shares information on a GoFundMe page created to help her. He writes: “She has been told to expect a difficult and challenging rehabilitation process. She is optimistic and remains upbeat that she will walk again, but now faces spending the rest of her life in a wheel chair. Kim is the strongest person I know, if anyone can overcome the chaos she was viciously and randomly thrown into it is her, but it is obvious she will need our love and assistance.
“Kim is in need of help with medical expenses, loss of income, rehabilitation residential center costs, and the need to adjust her home/vehicle to be ADA-accessible. She has been told to expect multiple surgeries and weeks or months of live in rehabilitation. Average yearly costs for a first year spinal chord injury is $347,484.
“My sister is a mom first and foremost. Her boys are the most important part of her life. Her first words to me are always “How are my boys?”. We aren’t allowed into the hospital to visit her. Only the police and investigators, she’s alone fighting this battle. My sister wants to get back to her boys! Loving them, caring for them, laughing with them is what keeps her fighting. Please help us fight with her. Any donation is one step closer to showing Kim she’s not alone in this!”
If you have any information pertaining to her attack please contact the Aurora Police at 630-256-5000.
Mike Aigner is Kim’s brother and Megan Nolan is Kim’s family friend who are both organizing Kim’s page.
Here is the link to the Gofundme page: https://gofund.me/1cbf5e07