After a heroic act ended in a disastrous cliff fall, a Fort Lewis College student’s overwhelming medical bills have inspired community members to help out.

On March 6, 20-year-old Nolan Bell, a junior studying criminology and philosophy at the college, was walking with his girlfriend Graci Clark when the worst happened.

Clark slipped off the side of a cliff, and Bell dove to catch her. Though Clark was unscathed, Bell fell 30 feet, suffering four skull fractures, broken sphenoid bone and a bruised frontal lobe.

Bell was transported to Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango and has subsequently traveled from hospital to hospital undergoing therapy. Miraculously, Bell was able to return to school by the end of March, less than a month after his accident. But his care left him with outstanding medical bills. So Clark launched a Gofundme page, “Help Nolan’s Noggin Heal,” to raise money.

“Everyone who knows him would agree that he cares more about others than he does himself,” Clark posted on the page.

“He is just barely 20 years old, and he has medical bills well into the thousands from his initial hospital treatment alone. This is after insurance. The healing process is slow, he needs constant check-ups by a doctor, chiropractic and therapy. Although he is the strongest person I know, he can’t do it all.”

Jacquelyn Anthony, a FLC student and friend of Clark’s, said word has spread across campus and people are eager to step up and pitch in.

“I know Graci, and Nolan’s a great guy,” Anthony said.

“I don’t think anybody deserves to be so scarily in debt over something so heroic. Everyone was talking about what happened, and it was a really big deal. His fundraiser has been shared on Facebook about 50 times. It’s going to take every bit of elbow grease, and I figure I have a phone and email to help.”

As of Thursday afternoon, “Help Heal Nolan’s Noggin” has raised 55 donations amounting to $2,795.

jpace@durangoherald.com

On the Net

Visit www.gofundme.com/nolansnoggin to donate to Nolan Bell.