Kevin Magner, of Norwalk, Conn.-based Briggs Tire Co., is holding a fundraiser this week to benefit an employee who was injured in a motorcycle accident earlier this year.

Frank Franko, 53, of Stamford, suffered a spinal cord compression injury after hitting a guardrail on an exit ramp in May. The mechanic, avid motorcyclist and former body builder is now paralyzed from the waist down and has limited use of his hands, reports The Daily Fairfield.

Magner will hold a fundraiser Sept. 30 at Continental Manor in Norwalk with a dinner, followed by games of chance. Money raised will assist Franko with the costs of medical expenses and therapy. For tickets or information on making a donation, call Magner at 203-838-3716.

“I’ve known Frank since the 1970s, and he has always been on board to help others,” Magner told the newspaper. “He is a veteran of the United States Navy, and, since 2001, he has participated in a motorcycle ride that honors those impacted by the events of September 11. Now it’s our turn to give him support for everything that he has given to us.

“Frank is a dedicated and hard-working individual who took an extreme amount of pride in doing his job well,” Magner continued. “I’ve talked to him and his spirits are good. He hopes that some day he will walk again and we want to do what we can to help him make that happen.”