Blastomycosis Victim given fund raiser by community

May 14, 2002

May 13, 2002

Fund-raiser successful for man with lung infection

By Alan Trubow - Daily Register

Wroten has been taught two valuable lessons. During the past few

months, he learned it was important to live every day of his life to the

fullest, because there are no guarantees about tomorrow. Over the weekend he

learned it never hurts to have friends. Over 100 of Wroten's friends showed

up for a pig roast and raffle at Gordo's Bar and Grill in Portage on

Saturday to help raise money for Wroten.

Wroten piled up tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills after he

contracted blastomycosis, a fungal-type lung infection when he was pulling

up carpeting. Wroten said he wasn't wearing a mask and both of his lungs

ended up being covered with mold.

The result?

Thirty-eight days in a drug-induced coma, two collapsed lungs, kidney

failure and having doctors bring him back to life on eight separate

occasions.

" I've never even been sick for a day before this whole experience, " Wroten

said, while shifting his walker and pointing out the metal device sticking

out of the front of his neck, which he says is performing the functions of a

trachea. " I'm used to taking care of myself and my friends. "

When Wroten needed help, it was Gordo's owner Mark Pape, who answered the

call.

" I came up to him and told him I wanted to put together a fund-raiser for

him, " said Pape, who hoped to raise between $3,000 and $5,000 for Wroten.

" He was a little bit embarrassed by the whole thing, but he said it was OK. "

The raffle was a huge success as items such as a signed photographs of

professional athletes on and Horning and Brewer tickets

were given away.

Pape did not know how much was raised as of Sunday evening, but Wroten would

probably be happy with any amount.

" I'm just gong to try and make the best of every day because you don't know

what day will be your last, " Wroten said. " And I'd like to let people know

that whenever they are cleaning anything with mold they should wear a mask. "

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