Support pours in for local food influencer critically injured in crash
A local food influencer who was critically injured in a chain reaction crash on 93-N is getting an outpouring of support from the restaurant community and beyond.
Joey Calcavecchia, known on social media as ‘Roaming Foodie’, is on a ventilator at Tufts Medical Center with collapsed lungs, broken ribs, face fractures and a cracked skull.
He was flown to the hospital after crashing into a three-car pile-up on 93 North by exit 42 in Andover Tuesday around 12:40 a.m.
His family said he was headed home after promoting a new restaurant inside the Raffles Hotel in Boston.
His father told Boston 25 News that he didn’t see the wrecked cars in front of him because of a dip in the road.
“He just hit it head-on at full speed,” said dad, Joe Calcavecchia. “It’s a parent’s worst nightmare.”
Calcavecchia said it was caused by a deer that ran across the highway.
He credits a responding officer for preventing it from getting any worse.
“He said, it’s lucky I came up on the scene because there was a tractor-trailer right behind me,” he said. “Thank god he slowed down, or he would’ve wiped out everybody.”
His son hasn’t shown any reassuring signs from his hospital bed yet.
However, he has displayed a glimmer of a response to his dad’s service dog Albie Joy.
“I mention Albie, and you can see his heart rate go up on the monitor,” explained Calcavecchia. “He knows that she’s there. When we first got Albie, she picked Joey.”
The family has been touched by the overwhelming stream of donations they’ve seen on a GoFundMe page.
The goal was raised to $100,000 dollars after more than $50,000 was donated in 24 hours.
Many of those donations have come from local businesses that Calcavecchia has supported over the years.
“A lot of the work he does is freelance. It’s contract work,” said sister Jenna Calcavecchia. “He’s very good at what he does, but if he’s not working he’s not getting a stream of income. That’s our biggest concern.”
The family has been told that the 36-year-old will likely remain on a ventilator for several weeks.
He’s currently listed in critical but stable condition.
They are holding onto hope that he will one day be able to return to his passion of exploring and promoting the best eats around.
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