A university-affiliated fraternity is holding a luau-style fundraiser today for a brother who was recently paralyzed.

Alpha Tau Omega is holding a Hawaiian luau tonight – complete with two pigs cooked on spits – to raise money for the hospital bills incurred by fraternity brother and 20-year-old sophomore Kyle Engelbert, who was paralyzed April 28 after falling on his head while wrestling with a friend on the lawn of his fraternity house.

“It’s important to us to have this event because everybody was really upset when this happened, and everybody wants to do something to help,” Jesse Uman, freshman political science major and ATO public relations chair, said. “We all feel a little bit of guilt because it was him and not one of us. It could have happened to any of us, and we just want to help him recover.”

In addition to the two roasted pigs, ATO will be serving donated chicken, Freebirds burritos, Sam’s To Go sandwiches and other refreshments. However, due to the greek alcohol policies implemented this year, no alcohol will be served at the event.

“The great part about this is that everybody from the house has been involved in this; it’s not just one or two guys doing everything,” Uman said.

A raffle will be held, and gift certificates and other prizes will be given out. There will also be a booth where people can write get-well cards that will be given to Engelbert over the weekend.

The fraternity asked each greek house to donate $200 in exchange for free attendance at the event for the entire house. About eight houses have already signed up to do so.

Engelbert has been transported by helicopter to the hospital at UC Berkeley, where he will continue rehabilitation. He has recently recovered feeling in his hands but remains paralyzed. Uman said the fraternity hopes he will fully recover over the summer and be able to come back to school in the fall.

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