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PROVO — The owner of a popular Provo music venue needs a kidney transplant, so his friends are rallying to save him and his business’ life.
Corey Fox started Velour Live Music Gallery a decade ago, and his friend, Kaneischa Johnson, thinks the venue has amped up Provo’s nightlife. The venue has seen famous bands such as Imagine Dragons and Neon Trees.
“Velour is what I consider to be the hub of Provo’s music scene,” Johnson said. “It’s a really unique space where bands are encouraged and kind of shepherded in a way to develop and grow their local fan base and their sound in such a manner that kind of prepares them for success outside of Utah.”
Fox was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease at age 16, and now needs the transplant, he wrote on Facebook.
“Although I am currently on a transplant waiting list, it is a very uncertain and often untimely option,” Fox wrote on Facebook. “I'm being asked by my kidney team (and family and friends) to make it public that I am looking for a living kidney donor. This is a request I feel incredibly uncomfortable with and not something I take lightly.”
In addition to trying to save his life, Johnson said they are trying to save Velour.
“As a single owner-operated business, Velour isn’t a hugely money making enterprise, but with Corey at the helm, there’s been ways to make it work and continue to succeed enough to get to the next year,” Johnson said. “… There’s a lot more risk at hand now with his need for a transplant, so monetarily, essentially that medical emergency would bankrupt Velour.”
The music venue will temporarily close to give Fox time to recover, though private events will still take place there. Fox’s friends are seeking monetary support to aid with Fox’s medical bills and to help support Velour, according to Johnson.
“We’re going to take every opportunity possible to get him healthy and that includes looking for a living donor,” Johnson said.
His friends started a website that informs people how they can help with the cause. Johnson hopes that people will spread the word.
https://t.co/EkFzcgd9Pt I can't tell you what the #Velour means to me and the man behind it all needs a kidney. Please help #FixTheFox 😟😢😓🙁❤
— Penny Bronzelle (@PennyBronzelle) March 30, 2016
Corey Fox told KSL.com the amount of support he has received has been overwhelming and surreal.
“I'm a guy who prides himself in being a problem solver, so it's been tough to be put in a situation that I know I can't solve on my own,” Fox said. “It was hard for me to even push the send button on my Facebook post, I probably sat there for 20 minutes before finally sending it out.
“I had no idea the post would be shared 300 times in a day though. What has been even crazier is the amount of people saying that they are filling out the paperwork to be tested as a potential donor. Some of the people offering, I don't even know. I think a lot of this support can be attributed to the tight knit music community we have here in Provo and its roots that are now spread all over the country. I consider many of these people family.”
Johnson said Velour should be flexibly open through most of May. After that, they will take it show by show.
The Provo music scene needs Corey Fox, and Corey Fox needs a kidney! Donate money or a kidney to #fixthefox at https://t.co/nbcmteVUfj
— Anna Spleensteen (@AnnaFunford) March 31, 2016
