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Last month, reality star Corey Harrison was hospitalized following a motorcycle crash in Tulum, Mexico.
The accident left Harrison with 11 fractured ribs, a punctured lung, a concussion, and internal bleeding.
Corey was in the hospital for 18 days and was forced to miss the wedding of his father, Pawn Stars patriarch Rick Harrison.
Now, a GoFundMe page has been launched with the goal of helping Corey manage his medical expenses.
“Help Corey ‘Big Hoss’ Harrison Recover from Devastating Motorcycle Accident in Mexico,” the page begins.
“If you’ve watched Pawn Stars, you know Corey — ‘Big Hoss’ — as the quick-witted guy behind the counter who always brings the laughs and tough negotiations,” writes Corey’s friend Aron Chambers.
“Off camera, he’s just Corey: loyal, proud, independent, and someone who’s always there for his friends and family. Right now, though, he needs our help more than ever.
The page goes on to explain that Corey began to feel the financial strain from his injuries before he even left the hospital.
He checked out against the wishes of his doctors and returned to his home in Tulum, where his situation worsened.
“After 14 grueling days in the hospital, the financial pressure became too much, and Corey had no choice but to check himself out against medical advice,” Chambers writes.
“Corey was incredibly hesitant to take heavy pain meds, especially after losing his brother Adam to an overdose just last year, but the agony left him with no other option,” he continues, adding:
“The next day, his oxygen levels plummeted to dangerously low levels. In a heartbreaking moment that shook all of us to our core, Corey looked at us and said, ‘I’m just going to die out here. I don’t have the money to keep paying these people.’”
Chambers explained that the fundraiser is being conducted with Corey’s “full knowledge and blessing.”
Obviously, Corey’s plight is a serious one that’s all too familiar to the millions of Americans dealing with overwhelming medical debt.
But he’s been a star on a wildly popular reality show for 17 years.
His father is a wealthy man who rubs shoulders with some of the biggest moguls in the country.
So it’s not surprising that some folks have taken issue with Corey’s indirect plea for cash.
“Dude, your dad is worth $10M. Maybe ask him and the rest of us the f–k alone,” replied one X user to TMZ’s tweet about the fundraiser.
“Celebrity asks fans to help pay medical bills after his health ordeal. His dad is worth millions of dollars,” another wrote.
“Another shameless celebrity millionaire with a gofundme,” a third chimed in.
The indifference toward Corey’s financial issues might be evident in the fundraiser itself, which has raised just $5,000 toward its goal of $18,000
