LongBeachReport.com | LBReport.com | Second Hugh's Bite Nite Draws Crowd To Marri's Pizza -- Including Hugh Boyle -- As He Fights Back From Near-Fatal Motorcycle Crash Almost Exactly Two Months Ago

(Aug. 24, 2010) -- The second Hugh's Bite Night was more than special. It was near-miraculous.

The man whose plight moved friends, neighbors and total strangers to turn out and chip in was at Marri's Pizza last night (Aug. 23). Hugh Boyle was in a wheelchair but smiling alongside his wife Shelley.

Mr. Boyle was allowed to leave rehab for a few hours so he could join friends, family and people he'd not previously met near the scene of the motorcycle accident that nearly took his life almost exactly two months earlier.

To say it was a surprise is an understatement. Seeing him alongside his wife, Shelley, brought tears to more than a few eyes and smiles to many.

LBReport.com publisher Bill Pearl (who'd not met Mr. Boyle and was among those caught by surprise by his presence) spoke with him briefly. "We're glad you're here," Pearl said (in a tone noting it wasn't clear a few weeks earlier if Mr. Boyle would be anywhere among the crowd). Mr. Boyle smiled and replied in a clear. steady voice with a reserved English accent: "Thank you. You know, there are so many people to thank. There really are."

That was evident with a crowd exceeding the usual Monday level that kept Marri's Pizza staff hopping...as the ELB restaurant agreed to donate a portion of its entire day's proceeds to help the Boyle family.

In addition to those proceeds, raffle tickets were also sold.

A number of the gifts came via Gifts for One, Gifts for All, an internet firm (www.giftsforonegiftsforall.com) offering free online fundraising, employee reward and customer appreciation programs. As of Aug. 23, the firm is offering a special discount ECoupon to help the Boyle family; enter the Promo Code $10COUP and Donation Code BOYLE at checkout; email info@giftsforonegiftsforall.com for discount details, terms and conditions.

A June 21 collision at Palo Verde Ave./Stearns St. near Marris Pizza left Mr. Boyle, age 50, in critical condition; he endured three weeks in an induced coma with multiple broken bones and during the ordeal fought off pneumonia. Wife Shelley Brice-Boyle was unable to work at her home-based Internet business for weeks as she has stayed by her husband’s side and he fought to reccover.

The internet played a major role in what took place following the accident. Within days of the near fatal crash, friends of the family used Facebook to organize a front lawn garage sale to help with mounting expenses. LBReport.com learned of the garage sale and did a live online webcast from the event (with Mr. Halverson's LBOCEAN providing the video feed). A stream of wellwishers showed up, including Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal and former LB Councilman Evan Braude and community activists from Wrigley to ELB.

At last night's event, Mr. Halverson (whose firm LBOCEAN enabled LBReport.com's webcast at the garage sale) met Mr. Boyle for the first time.

The garage sale led friends of the family to organize the first "Hugh's Bite Nite" last month which drew crowds at three restaurants (La Strada, Naples Rib Company and Marri's Pizza) (LBReport.com coverage, click here).

Hugh's wife Shelley, who operates an internet-based home-based business, has maintained an eloquent daily blog which continues...and provides links on how to help with a clickable donate-button allowing those so inclined to help. To view it, click here.