One family's unexpected journey through St. Mike's

In October 2022, Rahim Allani had a lot going on.

His career as a busy finance leader was in full swing. His son had just turned one. And he was regularly visiting his dad at St. Michael’s Hospital, where he had recently undergone triple bypass surgery.

On the evening of Thursday, October 20, it all came crashing down.

Rahim had just attended a promising business meeting and two events, visited his dad at the hospital, and checked on an old friend going through a tough time.

Walking home to his downtown condo, he was crossing the street at Adelaide and York when he was struck by a speeding car going the wrong way. Rahim was thrown into the air and left unconscious on the four-lane road. The driver took off.

When he regained consciousness 24 minutes later, he was on a stretcher—and had an upside-down view of his own nearby condo.

“All the things were going through my head,” he says. “I didn’t know what was broken, I didn’t know if I could walk. But my first real thought was that I had to call my wife because I had told her I’d be home in five minutes.”

The paramedics let Rahim call his wife, who was able to see the scene from their front window. As she watched, he was rushed off to St. Mike’s—the same hospital where his dad was still recovering from heart surgery. 

Checking into the same “hotel”

When he arrived, the trauma team wasted no time assessing and treating his injuries. Rahim was quickly diagnosed with a fractured left tibia, which required immediate surgery and the insertion of a rod, plate, and screws.

He also had a bad concussion and fractured vertebrae, which required Rahim to lay immobilized on his back for eight days while the team determined whether surgery would be required.

“It was an incredibly difficult time, but I was amazed at the speed, expertise, and kindness of everyone on the team,” he says.

While Rahim was at St. Mike’s, his dad was discharged. “He came to visit me with my mom and sister as he was leaving the hospital. He was like, ‘What happened?’ and I told him, ‘I guess I just missed you that much. I wanted to check into the same hotel.’”

When Rahim was finally discharged after more than a week, his care team didn’t just send him on his way; they gave him meaningful advice to support his recovery.

“They were super supportive, motivating, and empowering,” he says. “They never made me feel like just another patient. I was a person to them, and it was clear they wanted me to do well.”

Moving forward with purpose 

Rahim’s road to recovery was long and painful. He says that he and his son had to learn to walk at the same time. The family had to hire a personal support worker to help care for them both, and his business suffered.

But today, nearly four years after the incident, Rahim sees purpose in what happened to him.

“I believe this happened to me for a reason. I could have died, and I didn’t. So my reason for being here is not done,” he says. “I’ve always liked to do good in the world, but there’s even more I want to do now, including giving back to causes and organizations I care about.”

Reflecting on his experiences, he believes everyone should consider supporting St. Mike’s. 

“The more we can help the amazing people at St. Mike’s do their jobs, whether that’s through volunteering, philanthropy, or just being nice to them, the more we’ll give to that ecosystem of care that allows them to do their best for all of us.”