The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby

  • 3

    Suicidal pedestrian saved over Han River bridge

  • 5

    Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity'

  • 7

    Youth, foreign drug offenders increase threefold in 5 years

  • 9

    NK rejects alleged arms trading with Russia, warns of 'undesirable result'

  • 11

    'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot

  • 13

    Seoul International School celebrates 50th anniversary

  • 15

    Base taxi fare to rise by 1,000 won to 4,800 won next month

  • 17

    S. Korea mistakenly fires machine gun near border with N. Korea

  • 19

    Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule

  • 2

    Japanese teen romance film attracts 1 mil. Korean viewers for 1st time in 21 yrs

  • 4

    Korea to lift indoor mask mandate Monday

  • 6

    US four-star general warns of war with China in 2025

  • 8

    INTERVIEWBusan has potential to be world-class city, says mayor

  • 10

    Samsung to introduce low-carbon diet for employees to help tackle climate change

  • 12

    K-pop releases for February

  • 14

    Plum trees, pheasants and promises of old Korea

  • 16

    Main opposition leader faces pressure to resign in case of indictment

  • 18

    3 dead, 4 hurt in upmarket Los Angeles neighborhood

  • 20

    NATO chief calls for stronger security ties with S. Korea to counter China

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Tue, January 31, 2023 | 05:20
Ailing American Heads Home on Donation
Posted : 2009-07-07 18:11
Updated : 2009-07-07 18:11
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
An American English teacher who had been stuck in hospital with no way to pay a soaring medical bill ― during which he came close to losing his leg ― has returned home to the United States thanks to an outpouring of support from the foreign community.

Matt Robinson
By Bryan Kay
Staff Reporter

An American English teacher who had been stuck in hospital with no way to pay a soaring medical bill ― during which he came close to losing his leg ― has returned home to the United States thanks to an outpouring of support from the foreign community.

Matt Robinson, a former member of the expat theater group Seoul Players, left Korea at the end of June with hopes of receiving corrective surgery to heal a wound left by a procedure he had to remove damaged tissue.

And his touchdown in Cleveland, Ohio, came after foreigners rallied to his aid, raising a staggering 28 million won.

He first entered hospital more than four months ago to have his first round of surgery, but two months later complications developed and he was forced to re-enter in order to undergo a life-saving procedure.

Further difficulties that emerged during the second stay saw deep-vein thrombosis develop and lead to a lengthy and costly stay ― resulting in a huge medical bill that he was unable to pay.

It was at this point that friends came to his aid, launching a massive fund-raising mission through events held in bars, cafes and other venues around Seoul.

The sum amassed meant he was able to cover the cost of the latest hospital stay and surgeries ― and there was even enough left over to help return to the United States to undergo another round of necessary medical procedures.

Robinson is now at Cleveland Clinic, from where he hopes to fight his way back to full health.

Before he left, he spoke of his gratitude for the people who donated to his cause, vowing to return to Korea to thank them in person.

In a mailing sent to donors who helped raise the cash that paid for his treatment and airfare, he said, ``So many people have helped that I don't even know, so for those of you who have remained anonymous. Thank you.
``Leaving Korea like this is very difficult, but I realize that it is the only necessary option for me right now. Once again you have all helped so much and I can never truly express my gratitude, or maybe I am now. I don't know.

``I hope that you all continue to enjoy your time in Korea and I hope in time maybe I'll see many of you here again at some point because I am not getting to leave on my own terms. I will miss you all, but I will update this site on my recovery process," he said.

Friend and one of the chief fund-raisers, Colette Nickerson, told The Korea Times the foreign community had shown great compassion to come to Robinson's aid.

``Matt was able to get three of his surgeries here in Korea. He will need much more extensive reconstructive surgery done back at the Cleveland Clinic," she said.

``We do not yet know how many more operations or how much recovery time is needed for Matt at this point. One constant consideration is Matt's deep vein thrombosis, which makes surgery more complicated than normal.

``The foreign community and many local citizens really rose to the occasion. It really started when Matt communicated with his close friends about just how serious his situation was. Then there was the immediate creation of a Facebook page dedicated to his cause, and from this networking site, we were able to spread awareness and raise the total in less than two weeks."

Nickerson said people had show great creativity in drumming up ideas for fund-raising events.

``We had individual donations from people in the U.S., Thailand, England and perhaps other international locations, as well as here in Korea," she continued.

She said students from the Suwon Foreign Language High School raised approximately one million won from a bake sale and made a video and personally delivered their donation and sign. ``(Matt) feels indebted to all of these people."

bk@koreatimes.co.kr
 
Top 10 Stories
1Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule
2[ANALYSIS] Pandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation ANALYSISPandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation
3Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weaponsOver 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons
4Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit
5Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches
6Biohealth geared for growth Biohealth geared for growth
7Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI
8Korea-US defense talks likely to bring up extended deterrence Korea-US defense talks likely to bring up extended deterrence
9Seoul mayor accuses liberals of leading nation in wrong direction Seoul mayor accuses liberals of leading nation in wrong direction
10NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war'NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war'
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects babySong Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby
2Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity' Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity'
3'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot 'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot
4K-pop releases for February K-pop releases for February
5Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group