A London gym owner was injured in a tobogganing mishap during the weekend, a friend trying to raise money for his family says.
Pete Mogan, the owner of the Rep Room gym in Hyde Park, was tobogganing with his family on Saturday at a hill behind Byron Somerset elementary school, friend Stacey Evoy said.
Mogan, 44, went down the hill and launched off a ramp at the bottom, flying more than a metre into the air before crashing down on his head, Evoy said.
“His wife and three kids were there. They witnessed the whole thing,” she said.
“It’s one of those things that can happen to anyone.”
Evoy first learned about the incident on Saturday through social media, but she didn’t find out until later that the seriously injured man was Mogan, a friend whom she’d met through his gym.
“They have a really strong gym community. We became friends from there,” she said.
Mogan was taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured skull, brain bleed and organ trauma, Evoy said she was told by his wife, Jess.
Mogan was listed in fair condition Monday at London Health Sciences Centre, a hospital spokesperson said.
The incident comes as the Mogans already were struggling with the closing of their gym at 1615 North Routledge Park due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Evoy launched an online fundraiser to help the family during the difficult time, collecting more than $27,000 as of Monday.
“Jess needs to focus on (Pete) and their kids . . . so we’re just hoping to ease some of their financial burden,” she said.
The Mogans are well known in the Hyde Park community, where they support local businesses and other causes such as Christmas toy drives, Evoy said. “They are awesome people.”
