Hardin County Little Caesars raises money for Ky. National Guardsman paralyzed in crash

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The Michalak family, owners of the Little Caesar’s in Radcliff, said they hope every order placed at their Fundraiser will help serve a man who has spent his life giving to others.

Major John Rock is a Kentucky National Guardsman of nearly two decades and a JCPS assistant principal.

Last May, he said he was deployed in Texas when he was hit by a driver who alleges they didn’t see the stop sign crossing an intersection.

“When she hit me in the back, that’s I think where my spine was broken,” Rock said. “And then she kept trying to gun it to keep driving, and I was punching the side of the vehicle yelling for her to stop. Then she finally gunned it and drove over me. There are times when it gets hard. But you know you do it for the people around you, you do it for your family, the people pulling for you.”

Rock said he had 13 broken ribs, damage to his intestines and dozens of surgeries. He was in the hospital for 30 days, rehabbed for three months and left paralyzed from the waist down.

On Monday, military members and Radcliff Mayor JJ Duvall, went to Little Caesar’s on Kieta Way to raise money for the Rock family.

Rock said he’s been humbled by the support he’s received.

“They say, ‘well you’ve got to hang in there,’” Rock said. “And I said, well you want me to hang in there because there’s going to come down the road where someone is going to need you to help out and give it back to them. And you got to be prepared for that. So part of that healing process is you know, you’ve got to be there for somebody down the road.”

“It was kind of like a punch to the gut,” Mike Michalak said. “I felt like, how do we help? How do we help him and his family just because he’s such a caring and giving man.”

Michalak said the proceeds from every pizza sold Monday will go to Rock’s family.

Rock’s wife, Angela, said her prayers that her husband would survive have changed to prayers one day he will walk again.

“It’s been an adjustment,” she said. “But we have a routine down. We have all the kids helping, even the little ones. We are just happy that he made it through and we still have him.

The Hardin County community started a GoFundMe to help pay for his medical expenses, a car, and a more mobile-friendly home.

To donate to GoFundMe, click or tap here.

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