Short Hills Doc Fundraises For Paralyzed Son After Ski Accident

MILLBURN, NJ — North Jersey infectious disease specialist Dr. Tatiana Mouravskaia had a hard time during the pandemic last year, she wrote recently on a GoFundMe for her family — "seeing people dying in from of our eyes, getting sick myself, and losing the man I love to the virus" — and just when she was feeling better this past March, her son was paralyzed in a ski accident.

In a GoFundMe started for the family, friend Yuri Dolin explained, "[Tatiana] spent her entire life helping others, including working on the front lines during the worst of the COVID epidemic. In caring for others, she even contracted the disease herself, and lost her partner of many years to it. But now she needs us."

Tatiana, who raised her four children in the Short Hills section of Millburn, explained, "On March 13, my beautiful, tall, handsome, mischievous and very soft and kind baby had a skiing accident. He broke his neck and now can not move his hands and legs. I thought I would be able to do everything by myself. But I can’t. I work a lot but the bills have already started coming."

She added, "I need to move to an accessible place. Get a different car. I am used to help[ing] others. Now I am the one asking for help. Please share if you can."

The challenges

On that fateful Saturday in March, Anthony "Anton" Mouravski, 22, injured himself during a jump and was airlifted to a hospital, the family wrote in various GoFundMe updates.

In Tatiana's most recent update on May 6, she thanked the school system in Millburn, from which three children graduated and one is still a student.

"These are the situations when it is critical for a school community to come together and provide support for each other," said Millburn High School Principal Dr. William Miron. "Our time and focus are often consumed by personal goals; however, we must never lose sight of what matters most. So we were all very happy to help Anthony and his family."

But the family needs more help.

"He will, unfortunately, never walk again," wrote Anton's brother, Alexandre, in an update on April 1. "Preparations are ongoing for bringing Anthony home when he is released."

Alexandre explained why the situation will be so expensive.

"Insurance has been particularly unhelpful in helping us plan," Alexandre wrote. "We'll need to purchase or build out a handicap-accessible shower (anyone who's done home remodeling knows this is $$$), handicap-accessible sinks and toilets, purchase an accessible bed with lift, and a hundred other things. The estimated cost for the first year of a disability like this is about $1,500,000."

Finding housing is a challenge, he said, as "Our mom is still working like crazy and houses are being snapped up before she can even see them. Currently, she lives in a two-story townhome with no shower/bath on the first floor ... he would be unable to get to the restroom without being carried. We're looking for a flat or mostly flat ranch-style within commuting distance of her work."

The GoFundMe had raised $135,000 by Tuesday. One woman wrote, "We don't know each other, but a very dear friend suffered a similar injury on the same day as your beloved son, and I learned of you through the NJ grapevine ... I'm thrilled to hear that he has made some progress in rehab and can operate a wheelchair."

Words of advice

The family has given health updates on Anthony's condition, but Alexandre also had advice for anyone reading the GoFundMe:

"If you have the opportunity, purchase disability and long-term care insurance for yourselves and your loved ones. It's not terribly expensive, and if it can save you even a fraction of the heartaches and headaches we've faced, it will have been worth it."

The National Ski Areas Association reported that during the 2019-20 season, there were 29 catatrophic injuries reported in ski areas, as well as 42 fatalites. They say that on average, there are 45 catastrophic injuries per season.

Meanwhile, a family in Plainview, NY, also started a GoFundMe in March when their daughter, 21, became paralyzed in a ski accident. Read more here.

Don't miss breaking news alerts in Millburn or your town when they are announced, or get a free daily newsletter each morning with local news. Sign up with your preferences here.

Got news? Email caren.lissner@patch.com. Got photos? Please include express written permission from the photographer for us to use them. To be the first to get free news alerts with breaking stories in your town, or to get a free local newsletter each morning, sign up for Patch breaking news alerts or daily newsletters.