My apologies for the delay in posting this news.
Tom Kunz, one of the world's leading bat researchers for more than four decades, and a prime investigator into White Nose Syndrome, was hit by a car on the way to the opening reception for last week's North American Symposium on Bat Research (NASBR). The accident occurred right outside the entrance to the Royal Ontario Museum. Needless to say, the news rippled through the crowd and cast a pall over the entire event.
His students - a large cadre of whom were there for presentations - were particularly distressed, sometimes having to leave the meetings, they were so pre-occupied. Who's
going to run the Center? The lab? etc.
Family flew in the next day and stayed with him in the ICU. Long-time colleague, Winnifred Fricke gave us daily progress reports. We all signed cards to deliver to the hospital.
He was flown back to Boston over the weekend. News now is coming through the CaringBridge website (see below).
This is truly awful, and you can see from all the outpouring of love and support, this man as had a major impact in the field of bat studies and on many people's lives. I've
gotten to know him and work with him over the past few years. He's a really nice guy, a former NSS member and friend of cavers, and definitely a giant in his field.
Below is the link to connect to Tom Kunz’s CaringBridge website:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tomkunz
This site contains updates on Tom’s condition and provides a place to share your thoughts and wishes with his family. The following is a statement by the Kunz family:
We very much appreciate the sincere concerns from all of Tom's friends and colleagues. As you may know Tom was hit by a car on Wednesday night and suffered critical brain injuries and other injuries. After the accident he was attended at St. Michael's Hospital inToronto and his condition has stabilized. He was transferred to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston on Saturday. He is showing slow signs of improvement and we are very encouraged. Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers.
Margaret, Pamela and David Kunz