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Benefit today for former Hayden man

Kochenower still in hospital after Sept. 21 motorcycle accident

Friday, October 19, 2007

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By Alexis DeLaCruz

Steamboat Springs — A benefit for former Hayden resident Tyrrell “Tye” Koch­enower is today in Northglenn.

Kochenower, who grew up in Hayden and graduated from Hayden High School in 1997, had just moved to the Front Range when he was involved in a Weld County motorcycle accident that killed his girlfriend, Bethany Gibson, and left Kochenower with a broken neck, brain injury, fractured skull and collapsed lung. He still is in the hospital in Greeley recovering from the Sept. 21 accident.

Fiore & Sons, a Denver-based excavation company, is sponsoring the benefit.

Kochenower was working for the company at the time of the accident and was about 2 1/2 weeks away from his medical insurance kicking in.

“It’s really unfortunate what happened to him,” said Rosemary Mendez, a Fiore & Sons employee who organized tonight’s benefit. “This company is very family-oriented. It’s always family first, and we take care of whatever needs our employees have when something like this happens.”

The benefit begins at 6 p.m. at the Northglenn Moose Lodge in Northglenn. Mex­ican and Italian dishes are available. There will be a cash bar and live music, she said. Silent auction items include plasma TVs, vacation packages, motorcycle helmets, leather chaps, season tickets to the Rocky Mountain Rage and an archery set.

All proceeds will go to Kochenower’s medical expenses, which have exceeded $300,000 and are growing daily. Local donation jars have yielded about $525, said Veronica Kochenower, Kochenower’s sister-in-law.

“He has nothing right now,” she said. “That’s why we’re doing the benefit.”

Jim Hunter, Kochenower’s ex-father-in-law, said he hopes the community makes the trip to support Kochenower.

“If this situation was switched and one of us was where he is right now, he’d be right there like we are for him,” Hunter said. “Anyone who knew Tye should come out with an open heart because he’d do the same for you.”

— To reach Alexis DeLaCruz, call 871-4234

or e-mail adelacruz@steamboatpilot.com