‘Pawn Stars’ patriarch Rick Harrison has stepped forward to address a public fundraiser launched for his son Corey, insisting he covered the hefty medical bills well before it started. The 60-year-old reality star shared his side amid reports of Corey’s ongoing recovery from a severe January motorcycle accident in Tulum, Mexico.
The accident and mounting bills
As per E! news, Corey Harrison, 42, endured a terrifying crash that left him with 11 fractured ribs, a punctured lung, a concussion, and internal bleeding. Rushed to a hospital in Playa del Carmen, he spent 14 agonizing days there before financial pressures forced a transfer to a cheaper facility four and a half hours away in Mérida.Back home in Tulum, the pain persisted, requiring house calls for IV fluids and morphine. The total tab exceeded $100,000, which Corey tried to tackle by draining his bank account and maxing out credit cards. His friend Aron Chambers launched a GoFundMe seeking $18,000 (though some reports cite higher needs, as per E! News Online), noting, “Being on television and part of Pawn Stars fame doesn’t come with a built-in safety net for emergencies like this medical crises don’t care about celebrity status”, as reported by The Independent. Corey, no longer active on Pawn Stars but getting rerun residuals, has avoided strong pain meds since his brother Adam’s 2024 fentanyl overdose death. The campaign has raised thousands so far, aimed at rent arrears, meds, therapy, and a U.S. return for family support.
The father-son dynamic
Rick first commented on the GoFundMe via TMZ on March 5: “Corey is a grown man and he will deal with his life as he sees fit.” He soon clarified to multiple outlets, including Fox News Digital and Page Six, “As far as I know, I paid all of Corey’s medical bills long before he put the GoFundMe out. He is a grown man in his 40s and is responsible for how he handles his finances.”Corey acknowledged his dad’s help to TMZ, estimating Rick covered at least half: “I adore my dad, but he doesn’t hand me anything. My father has made me earn everything throughout my life.” Rick welcomed potential reimbursement but noted no formal plan exists: “It’s always appreciated to be reimbursed.”This comes nearly two years after Adam’s tragic passing, highlighting the Harrisons’ tough road. Corey shared an Instagram update in late January: “Pretty messed up but I’m good… 11 breaks in my rib cage,” crediting crash bars for saving him. A rep confirmed Rick visited, with Corey expected to fully recover after six weeks of bed rest, as reported by People magazine.
