Local Food Influencer Suffered Traumatic Brain Injury In Andover Crash

ANDOVER, MA — The family of a 36-year-old man known as "THE food connoisseur of New England" says they are struggling to find him a rehabilitation facility months after he suffered a traumatic brain injury in an Andover car crash.

The four-car crash occurred on Interstate 93 North overnight May 14, when "a deer ran across the highway" and left Joey Calcavecchia in the pileup, according to the description of a GoFundMe set up by Joey's sister, Jenna Calcavecchia.

"Thankfully, Joey was still breathing on the scene once found by Massachusetts state troopers and first responders," Jenna continued. "He needed to be removed from his car by firefighters with the jaws of life. It is truly a miracle that Joey is still alive."

Calcavecchia was med-flighted to Tufts Medical Center in Boston, where he was taken to the intensive care unit and placed on a ventilator with broken ribs, both lungs collapsed, fractures on his face, and a crack in the front of his skull.

In the three months since the accident, Calcavecchia has been on the long road to recovery. He spent weeks in the ICU before he began to speak minimally again, but in recent weeks has begun to regain slight movement on his left side and has even "taken a few steps with assistance," according to Jenna.

The biggest obstacle for the family so far has been to find a rehabilitation facility for Calcavecchia, who needs "very specialized" care, his parents told Boston25. No New Hampshire facility has accepted him so far, and Massachusetts rehab facilities won't accept New Hampshire's federal health insurance.

Meanwhile, the family is holding on to hope that Calcavecchia will one day be able to return to his passions as The Roaming Foodie, for which he has created a community of over 300,000 followers on social media and enjoys supporting local businesses as he tries food around the region and shares his thoughts.

Jenna noted that Calcavecchia "was on his way home after a long day's work as The Roaming Foodie - doing what he loves and what he does best - exploring restaurants and creating content" when the crash occurred.

"He is kind, funny, smart, sociable, creative, and hardworking," Jenna said. "For those that know Joey, he is best son, brother, cousin, uncle, and friend that ANYONE could ask for."

As of Tuesday morning, the GoFundMe - "Help the Roaming Foodie Bounce Back" — has raised $124,196 of its $150,000 goal.