Seniors John Di Capua and Nahyr Lugo-Fagundo raised $320 through a bake sale in front of the Milton S. Eisenhower Library (MSE) on Nov. 16 to support Dwayne, a local homeless man who received surgery pro bono at Hopkins Hospital to repair his dysfunctional legs.
Di Capua and Lugo-Fagundo publicized the sale through a Facebook event titled “Help Support Dwayne!” and sold baked goods, coffee, hot chocolate and hot apple cider.
In addition to the money raised from the bake sale, Di Capua and Lugo-Fagundo raised $380 in donations from their families and friends.
Dwayne had the surgery on his right leg on Nov. 14 and will have the surgery on his left leg in a few months. Lugo-Fagundo wrote in an email to The News-Letter that the surgeries will allow Dwayne, who is currently unemployed, to support himself both physically and financially.
“He doesn’t want to live on the streets anymore, and to make that happen he has to get a job,” Lugo-Fagundo wrote. “Dwayne realized that in order to get a job he needed to be physically capable of performing it, which finally pushed him to get the surgery.”
Di Capua met Dwayne while shadowing Dr. Tom Suarez at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. Dwayne was born with bilateral congenital hamstrings and has never been able to straighten his legs fully.
“When Tom told me Dwayne was having surgery to repair his legs, I thought it would be nice to raise some money to help support his recovery,” Di Capua wrote in an email to The News-Letter.
After doctors at Hopkins Hospital heard about Dwayne’s story, they volunteered to give him the surgery he needed pro bono.
Di Capua has maintained his relationship with Dwayne and continues to catch up with him and his recovery on a regular basis.
“I see Dwayne maybe once or twice a month. The last time I saw Dwayne he was in a recovery facility resting his leg and doing physical therapy,” Di Capua said.
Both Di Capua and Lugo-Fagundo realized that although Dwayne’s surgery was free, he still lacked the money he needs to support himself as he recovers. Dwayne currently has no regular income; he solicits money from passersby on the street.
DiCapua and Lugo-Fagundo hope the money they raise will cover his basic needs, eliminating the need to ask for money on the street and allowing him to rest his legs.
“We thank everyone that came out to support Dwayne,” Lugo-Fagundo said.
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