Granger brewery owner on the mend

Chris Gerard likes to work the pub on Saturday nights.

After brewing beer all week, that’s his night to get behind the bar, pour pints and talk with customers.

The evening of May 17 had been like any other. Chris stayed to close the Bare Hands Brewery taproom in Granger around midnight. He headed out to the parking lot and another employee followed close behind him.

After locking the door, the employee looked out and saw Chris lying on the ground. His brother, Ryan, says no one saw or knows exactly what happened.

“We know he fell and hit his head. He was unconscious for a couple of minutes. It had been a long day, and Chris hadn’t eaten much,” Ryan says. “They got him to the hospital and over the next two days he had four CAT scans. The doctors compared his injury to a severe concussion.”

The fall caused swelling to the part of his brain that controls speech and speech recognition. The condition, called aphasia, makes it challenging for someone to communicate.

“He could barely speak the first few days. He had trouble getting even a few sentences out,” Ryan says. “He had trouble finding the right words. It’s hard to see someone you love like that.”

On Tuesday, he was released from Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka and he has started outpatient therapy. Chris stopped by the brewery on the way to his parents’ house in Niles and gave hugs to the employees.

“He didn’t stay long because he’s still very tired. But he’s made giant improvements,” Ryan says. “He doesn’t know much about what has been happening, though. We just keep reassuring him that things are taken care of.”

Chris is expected to make a full recovery over time. How much time that could take is still an unknown.

His wife, Kim, is caring for their three young children at their Elkhart home.

His parents, Barry and Jinny Gerard, have been by his side since the accident. His father has stepped in to operate the business, making sure that Bare Hands Brewery, located at 12801 Princess Way, is running smoothly.

“We all agreed Chris would want to keep the business going. We have

to keep it going for his family,” says Ryan, who has been serving as the family spokesman. He is also organizing fundraisers and benefits for his little brother.

Like many small business owners, Chris had health insurance for his children, but not for himself and Kim.

“He wanted to keep reinvesting in the business to keep it healthy,” Ryan says of the pub that opened in December of 2011. “He’d been looking into options, but he hadn’t pulled the trigger before this happened. So now he has medical bills piling up.”

The slogan “Raise a Pint for Chris” has been written on menu boards inside the bar and used on social media and fundraiser materials.

The Gerards have set a goal of raising $60,000 by June 23, the date for a benefit golf outing at Knollwood Country Club in Granger. But already, donations have been coming in from other local brew pubs and small business owners.

“I think it will be very humbling for him when he finds out how many people and businesses have stepped up, donated and helped spread the word,” Ryan says. “I think it would be hard for anyone not to be grateful for this kind of support.”

For more information about donations and fundraising events, go to www.barehandsbrewery.com or visit the Bare Hands Brewery Facebook page.