THOUSAND OAKS : Fund to Help Man Who Lost His Feet

Friends of a man whose feet were severed in a train accident in Simi Valley are establishing a $10,000 medical fund to buy artificial limbs.

Don Swanson, a friend of accident victim Steven Frye Jr., said the 23-year-old’s medical insurance does not cover the cost of special limbs that would allow Frye to continue athletics.

Frye has been recovering from injuries he suffered Sept. 4 when he was struck by a Southern Pacific Railroad train while bicycling in the Santa Susana tunnel near Simi Valley.

Before the accident, Frye worked in the accounting department of Farmers Insurance and is planning to return after his recovery, Susie Frye, his stepmother, said.

Frye has already undergone extensive surgery and faces more, Swanson said. Organizers have raised about $4,500 for the purchase of two flexible artificial feet.

Friends will hold a benefit golf tournament Nov. 19 at Sunset Hills Country Club in Thousand Oaks. Organizers are asking for $300 donations to participate in the tournament and luncheon. Donors who do not intend to golf can donate $225, with all the money going to the family.