The victim of the Center City apartment bombing is speaking out for the first time as his friends raise money for his continued recovery.
Jim Alden, 62, released a statement Tuesday updating people about his progress and thanking everyone for the support.
“What I want to say at this point is how overwhelmed I have been at the outpouring of love and support that I’ve received from my partner, family, friends, and coworkers,” Alden wrote.
On November 22, Alden arrived home at his apartment on the 1800 block of Pine Street after being out of town. As he opened a package that he thought contained asthma medication, the contents inside exploded. The envelope, which was rigged with a bomb, contained some type of shrapnel, causing injuries to Alden’s face, chest and arms.
Officials believe Alden was specifically targeted and continue to investigate the bombing. Alden, who pursued a career in theater before working as a restaurant manager and caterer at the Warwick Rittenhouse Hotel, is currently out of the hospital and resting at home. He still faces more surgeries and a long road to recovery.
“The “shrapnel” damage to my face, chest and arms is slowly healing, and a blister on my ear drum is affecting my hearing, but is supposed to heal,” Alden wrote. “At this point, I only know that I have a long road ahead of me, and I will likely be unable to work for quite some time.”
Knowing that he faces mounting medical expenses, Alden’s friend Talbott Smith created an online fundraiser asking for donations.
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“While he has health insurance, Jim faces large medical copays, and ongoing medical treatments, physical therapy, and costly future reconstructive and plastic surgeries,” Smith wrote. “He and his partner are also facing costs for cleanup and repairs to their apartment. Unlike his home state of California, Pennsylvania does not have a state disability insurance program, so Jim will suffer significant loss of income during his extended recovery time.”
“As longtime friends of Jim’s we are asking for your help as we all come together to support Jim through this time and bring him some peace of mind so that he can concentrate on the long journey ahead of him as he heals.”
CLICK HERE if you would like to donate to Alden’s medical funds.
