Last March, UW senior Larry Busch suffered spinal cord injuries in an accident while on vacation in Costa Rica.

In response to the exorbitant medical costs associated with evacuating him from the country and receiving emergency medical care, Busch's Zeta Psi fraternity brothers set up The Larry Busch Fund.

Since the beginning of December, the organization has been taken to the next level and is now a non-profit foundation unaffiliated with the fraternity.

According to a foundation press release, more than $125,000 has been raised to date.

"It is unbelievable to see the impact of those who care so much about me and encourage me each day I battle to walk again," Busch said in the release. "It is so great to know so many people out there care so much about me, it really means a lot."

The foundation is devoted to continuing to assist Busch and his family in covering medical expenses.

It is also dedicated to educating the public about spinal cord injuries, improving the quality of life of spinal cord injury victims and advocating political action for the advancement of stem cell research, according the foundation's Web site.

Most donations to the Larry Busch Fund came from citizens of Western Washington. However, some came from as far away as Portugal, Egypt and even Nepal, said Chadrick Ashby, director of the foundation.

In addition to donations, fundraisers were held, including an auction put on by the Lakewood School District. The citizens of Busch's hometown of Mukilteo raised $40,000 in another auction.

"Everyone wanted to be able to help out," said Stuart Faris, a friend of Busch's. "[The fund's volunteers] helped organize the energy and efforts that everyone poured in to helping out Busch and his family."

Contributions haven't been restricted to financial contributions.

"There have been so much more than just monetary contributions," Ashby said.

Members of the Zeta Psi fraternity assisted in cleaning out Busch's backyard to make way for renovations to his house.

"The outpouring of support is really great," Ashby said.

Fundraising events under consideration include sports events such as a golf tournament, Ashby said.

Donations continue to pour in, totaling a few thousand dollars a month, Ashby said.

Contributions have gone toward purchasing a state-of-the-art van and wheelchair to assist in Busch's transportation needs. Additionally, Busch's house has been remodeled to be wheelchair accessible, Ashby said.

Busch has gone from communicating by blinking to regaining his speech and being able to use a specialized wheelchair, which he controls with his mouth.

"He's still energetic and cracks jokes," said Ashby.

The next hurdle that Busch hopes to overcome is to not be dependent on an assisted breathing machine, Faris said.

Busch took one class last quarter to try to get back into the swing of school, Ashby said, and is 10 credits away from graduating with an accounting/marketing degree.

Busch will be receiving treatment at the Shepherd Center, a catastrophic care hospital in Atlanta in February and will not be able to take any classes this quarter.

"I'm not here to fundraise," said Ashby. "I'm here because I feel that I'm doing the right thing for Larry."

Reach reporter Sonia McBride at news@thedaily.washington.edu.