Endura’s Limited Edition Tim Don Kit is the Coolest Fundraiser in Triathlon
The sales of the limited edition Endura kit will help Tim Don and his family cope with the growing medical costs associated with his Kona crash.
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The sales of the limited edition Endura kit will help Tim Don and his family cope with the growing medical costs associated with his Kona crash.
Race week at the Ironman World Championship took a stunning turn on the Thursday before the race when Ironman world record holder and pre-race contender Tim Don posted a video to Instagram explaining that he had been hit by a car. The impact of the collision put him in the hospital with an initial diagnosis of a broken C2 vertebra, likely leaving him in a removable neck brace for approximately five weeks.
The night after the accident, Don was flown out of Kona and returned to his hometown of Boulder, Colo. The doctors there told him that his injury was actually more serious and that he would be left with three choices: Remain in a soft brace, which presented further risks; have surgery, which is the most common solution; and then the least popular choice, wear The Halo for an extended period of time.
Although the most painful option, Don opted for The Halo as it offered him the best chance at recovering with the full mobility needed to return to his career as a professional triathlete.
The decision immobilized Don and required a team of doctors, physios, specialized equipment, and a vast amount of support from his network to help get him through the agonizing three months of wearing the medieval looking contraption.
“The medical bills and mental costs have really added up and I think many people in this situation would fold and call it a day as a highly competitive athlete, but The Don [his nickname] is determined to get back to the top of the sport, no matter the cost,” said Franko Vatterott, a member of Don’s management team.
A few friends suggested starting a GoFundMe page or something similar, but Don and his wife Kelly were not comfortable asking for that type of support.
Instead, Don and his close supporters decided that a limited edition cycling kit would be the best option. Apparel brand Endura has taken on the task of designing, producing, and selling the Don-themed cycling jersey and bib shorts with a large portion of the proceeds going to help cover the cost of Don’s medical expenses.
The design has subtle tributes of the popular professional athlete with the UK national colors, “The Don” printed on the jersey chest and right leg of the bib shorts, as well as a nod to his Ironman world record time of 7:40:23, faintly printed on the back pocket of the jersey and lower leg band of the shorts.
The kits are for sale today and retail at $150 for the bibshort (available in men’s and women’s) and $100 for the jersey (available in unisex).
Estimated production and delivery time may take up to three weeks, depending on the demand for these items.
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