Lower Burrell artist auctioning Josh Bell drawing to help KDKA reporter’s daughter injured in accident

A Lower Burrell artist who in 2018 auctioned off a portrait of Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby to benefit a scholarship fund honoring a slain police officer is at it again.

This time, he’s turned his sights toward helping a young girl’s recovery from a terrible accident.

Larry “Klu” Klukaszewski’s autographed drawing of Pirates first baseman Josh Bell will be auctioned off through Wednesday to raise money for 13-year-old Mary Maloney. Mary was tragically injured in a trampoline accident Aug. 30 and can no longer walk. She is the daughter of KDKA-TV news reporter Pam Surano.

“I saw the story, and it just really broke my heart,” Klukaszewski said. “I really want this little girl to walk again. I’m just trying to kick in and help out in some small way, if possible.”

The drawing of Bell is being auctioned off on eBay. People are invited to make bids, or they can choose to buy it for a flat $5,000. Bidding starts at $500.

All proceeds from the auction will go to the family to help with medical costs associated with Mary’s recovery.

Klukaszewski doesn’t personally know Maloney and Surano, of Seven Fields, but said he is connected to Surano on Facebook.

Artist can relate, in a sense

He said he can relate to what Maloney is going through because he is dealing his own health issues. In February 2019, he was diagnosed with Limbic encephalitis, a rare cancer-based autoimmune disease.

“It’s affected me on so many levels, I can’t even explain it to you,” said Klukaszewski, 50. “I do immunotherapies every three weeks. I do mild chemotherapy every six months, and I do daily neurological treatments in Pittsburgh right now.”

Because Klukaszewski is often tired from work and treatments, it has been difficult for him to create original art. When he heard what happened to Maloney, he decided to auction off a piece he had previously made of Bell.

“He’s a real nice dude,” Klukaszewski said of Bell. “I’ve been making these general Facebook videos hoping and praying that maybe somehow he catches wind of it.”

Bell signed the drawing at Dave and Brian’s Collectors Den at the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer a couple years ago.

In 2018, Klukaszewski’s autographed portrait of Penguins star Sidney Crosby was auctioned off to raise money for a scholarship fund honoring slain New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw.

Surano said she is incredibly moved that Klukaszewski is going out of his way to help someone he doesn’t know. Especially since he’s dealing with his own health problems.

“He’s such a special person, and that’s why he was touched,” Surano said. “He’s someone that’s special, and he’s making us feel special.”

Maloney doesn’t have mobility from the waist down, but is able to feel touches to her stomach, thighs, calves and feet, her mother said Thursday. She’s doing physical and occupational therapy at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh’s rehabilitation unit.

Maloney had been doing flips alone on her trampoline in the backyard when the accident occurred. She was able to call her mother, who was at church, to tell her what happened.

Surano and her ex-husband rushed Maloney to UPMC Passavant hospital because she couldn’t move the lower half of her body or feel anything. She was later transferred to Children’s Hospital, where the family found out she most likely suffered from a spinal stroke, a rare condition caused by a lack of blood supply to the spinal cord.

GoFundMe page nears goal

Surano said she and her daughter are grateful for the continued love, support and prayers. In addition to Klukaszewski’s drawing, a GoFundMe page was set up to raise money for the family. It had raised more than $93,000 of its $100,000 goal as of Thursday.

“There are hard days, but honestly because of the love and support, the hard days are less,” Surano said. “We cry, laugh, and we laugh more. And that’s a gift.”

Surano said her daughter will walk again. She said her daughter received a message from God affirming that.

That message was, “‘Mary, in order for me to heal you, you must stay faithful and believe that I will. Do not forget I will heal you. Your faith will allow me to perform a miracle and heal you. And then you can tell everyone and they will know my work and turn to me.’”

“Every day we remind each other that that’s her message,” Surano said, “and we know where she’s going.”