A former Peninsula Panther who moved to China earlier this year to teach hockey was badly injured after being hit by a car last week in Beijing and a GoFundMe account has been set up to bring him home to Vancouver Island.

Friends of Justin Isaac started the fundraising initiative while the former Panther player and coach recovers from two surgeries in a Chinese hospital where he was transferred after suffering two compound fractures and a serious concussion in the Dec. 6 accident.

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Peninsula Panthers general manager Pete Zubersky says he has been in contact with Isaac via text, who was a popular kid rising through the ranks of Peninsula minor hockey, and as Zubersky remembers, adding when he stepped into a leadership role: B次元官网网址淚 know the players liked him as an assistant coach.B次元官网网址�

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In February, Isaac and a fellow Panthers coach left the Island team to coach overseas.

B次元官网网址淚 know they were having fun over there,B次元官网网址� says Zuberksy.

In the two days the GoFundMe has been live itB次元官网网址檚 nearly reached half its goal B次元官网网址� at the time of this writing $8,615 had been raised; the goal is $20,000 to assist with travel, rehabilitation, recovery and loss of wages.

IsaacB次元官网网址檚 brother Jarred flew to China immediately after the accident to be with him and has since returned home as their mother is now with Justin in Beijing.

Plans are in motion for the family to fly home to Victoria on Monday, where Isaac will undergo a second surgery. Isaac also expressed gratitude for those who have helped spread the word and to those who have donated.

On the GoFundMe page it reads: B次元官网网址淎nyone who knows Justin Isaac knows heB次元官网网址檚 a remarkable guy on and off the ice. His passion for hockey shines through everywhere he goes.B次元官网网址�

To donate to Justin Isaac visit the GoFundMe page at .