11/16/08 — Hundreds of people, from close friends to perfect strangers, turned out to enjoy short stacks for a tall cause Saturday.

For roughly three hours that morning, crowds lined up at the door of Applebee’s Meadville for a pancake breakfast to benefit 24-year-old Meadville native Luke Dithrich, who continues fighting for his life in a California hospital after being critically injured while on his way to work at the Imperial Beach (California) Border Patrol Station on Oct. 27.

“It’s absolutely amazing to see all the support that the community has shown,” Dithrich’s sister, Becki Miller, said Saturday. “There’s been a huge turnout.”

Applebee’s staff collected the money to pay for supplies for the feast,

which means the $6 price of each ticket that was sold goes directly to Luke and his family, according to General Manager Martha VanArtsdalen. No exact figures on dollars raised were available Saturday, but VanArtsdalen said upwards of 800 people attended the breakfast, many of whom donated amounts above and beyond the meal price.

That translates into thousands of dollars raised to help offset the cost of what is expected to be an extended period of care and rehabilitation for Dithrich.

A 2002 graduate of Meadville Area Senior High School and former Applebee’s employee, Dithrich was on his way to work at the California Border Patrol Station around 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 27 when his motorcycle was struck by a driver traveling the wrong way at high speeds on Interstate 5 near San Diego.

Nearly three weeks later, he remains unconscious and in critical condition in the surgical intensive care unit at University of California’s San Diego Medical Center. The crash, for which the driver responsible was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, felony driving under the influence and assault with a deadly weapon, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune, left the young border patrolman with a long list of injuries.

The family recently explained that Dithrich was caught between the car and the motorcycle as it was sideswiped, leaving his left leg so badly mangled that it’s had to be amputated above the knee. His left femur, the bone that connects the knee to the pelvis, also sustained a compound fracture that has already taken several surgeries to repair. Both of the bones on his left forearm and several of his fingers were also badly injured. Also, when a recent CAT scan revealed that both his spleen and his aorta were punctured, his spleen was removed and surgery performed to repair the aorta. During his first 24 hours in the hospital, Dithrich’s family said he received more than 70 units of blood, which has put a strain on his kidneys and lungs.

“He’s hanging in there,” but “he’s had a few setbacks,” said Miller. “He hasn’t woken up or anything yet. They’ve just pretty much kept him comfortable. ...We’re pretty sure he knows he’s in the hospital.”

A blog site, lukedithrich.-blogspot.com, is allowing his family to keep friends and supporters around the world up-to-date on his condition.

“We look at his blog daily to keep up with his progress,” Greg Tatman, whose son Ryan is close friends with Dithrich, said Saturday.

“He’s a good young man trying to make something of himself, and this was a tragic accident,” said Tatman. “Hopefully he can pull through.”

All proceeds from Satur-day’s event will be deposited in the First National Bank’s Luke Dithrich Benefit Account. The account was established at the bank’s Cochranton branch, but deposits can be made at any First National Bank branch.



YOU CAN HELP

Deposits to the Luke Dithrich Benefit Fund can be made at any First National Bank branch or mailed to First National Bank, 128 W. Adams St., Cochranton, Pa. 16314. Cards or gifts can be sent to UCSD Medical Center Hillcrest, 200 W. Arbor Drive, San Diego, Calif. 92103, Attn: Luke Dithrich, SICU.

A blog site, lukedithrich.blogspot-.com, has been established to keep friends and supporters around the world up-to-date on the condition of the 24-year-old Meadville native, who was critically injured while he on his way to work at the Imperial Beach (California) Border Patrol Station on Oct. 27.