Lafayette community supports teenager following swimming accident

An East Bay community is stepping up to help a beloved high school student-athlete, who was seriously injured in a weekend swimming accident.

Amin Noroozi, a junior at Acalanes High School in Lafayette, was severely injured when diving in the waves at Stinson beach Sunday.

“When we got the news that he had gotten hurt, it was devastating," she said. "Now, that we know the extent of the injury, it is beyond words,” said Ofelia Noroozi, Amin’s mother.

Ofelia Noroozi threw the first pitch in the afternoon baseball game at the Acalanes High School Wednesday.

Amin Noroozi couldn’t move his legs after hitting his head on something. He was flown to Walnut Creek’s John Muir Medical Center, where he underwent immediate surgery.

As Amin Noroozi faces the potential of years of recovery, his family is bracing for a potential mountain of medical bills.

Jane Smith, a family friend, quickly organized a GoFundMe campaign to help the struggling family and said that she’s amazed how quickly people started donating.

Ofelia Noroozi was already running a food truck and working a full time job to make ends meet before the accident.

Smith said the GoFundMe page hit $51,000 within hours of opening the page and it hit $110,000 by Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s expensive to be hurt or sick in America, and this community knows how much Ofelia does for our community, and Amin is everybody’s best friend,” she said.

Before the accident, Amin Noroozi competed for the Acalanes Union High School 's track, wrestling and football teams.

Earlier Wednesday, Acalanes High School students and parents also hosted a barbecue to help raise money for Amin and Ofelia Noroozi.

Ofelia Noroozi said that she's incredibly grateful for her community's generosity.

“You can touch the love. You can feel it," she said.