Employees in the Arnold office of Prudential Preferred Properties set up a fund yesterday to help pay the medical bills of Jason Ford, the Cape St. Claire youth who was severely beaten Friday night, after they learned that Jason's family has no medical insurance.
Jason remained in serious but stable condition at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center last night. His parents, Susan and Dexter Ford, who sell real estate for Prudential, lost their medical insurance last year in a dispute over coverage for jaw surgery for their older son, Daniel, 19.
"The claim for Daniel's surgery was denied," said Mr. Ford, 51. He and his wife were faced with an $8,000 bill for Daniel's surgery and could not pay for it and more medical insurance.
Mr. Ford said he learned of the fund-raising effort Monday.
"All Susan and I can do is express our thanks to friends throughout the community and even the country," he said. Friends from as far away as Texas and Pennsylvania have called to offer support, and a nurse at Anne Arundel Medical Center offered to come by and help Jason when he gets out of the hospital, Mr. Ford said.
"It's overwhelming," he said.
Chuck Jackson, a spokesman for Shock Trauma, said medical expenses "could begin well above the $20,000 to $25,000 range."
The Friends of Jason Ford Trust Fund was opened at the Annapolis Bank and Trust Co., said a co-worker of Jason's parents who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal by the suspects in the beating.
Jason, 17, was standing in the parking lot of the Cape St. Claire Shopping Center about 11 p.m. talking to friends when two youths drove up in a blue Dodge Caravan. They got out, talked to and shoved a friend of Jason's, then beat the Ford youth and chased him to the firehouse, where at least one of them inflicted the more severe injuries, police said.
He suffered a fractured skull, multiple fractures of his right eye socket and the right side of his nose and several chipped front teeth.
An officer at the police department's Eastern District station said yesterday that the investigation into the beating had been turned over to team detectives. Anyone with information about the beating is urged to call Detective Robert Aurand at 222-6145, the spokesman said.
Anyone wishing to contribute to the Jason Ford fund may send a check to the Friends of Jason Ford Trust Fund, P.O. Box 311, Annapolis, 21404.