On the night Noe Rodriguez rode his new Ducati motorcycle back to his Inverness Park home, the unspeakable happened: He collided with a car and was left paralyzed from the chest down.

Mr. Rodriguez, a big-hearted 42-year-old who always wears a smile, is adored around West Marin, where he has lived and worked for many years. Donations have been pouring into a GoFundMe account set up on his behalf. 

“He’s going to require a full-time assistant for the rest of his life,” said Mark Alderdice, a close friend. “That’s the truth of it. He’s not going to be capable of living independently for the rest of his life.”

The collision occurred last Tuesday at around 6:30 p.m. Mr. Rodriguez’s motorcycle collided with a Toyota Prius that was pulling into Sir Francis Drake Boulevard from Laurel Street. Mr. Rodriguez was driving south at the time. The California Highway Patrol is still investigating the incident but said drugs and alcohol were not a factor.

“It’s just been so tragic,” said Ted Lyman, another close friend. “Everyone’s just beside themselves about what a terrible situation this is.”

Mr. Rodriguez’s father, Carlos, started a landscaping business in Inverness two decades ago. Carlos had a degree in mathematics and worked in the Mexican government but came to the United States after a change in administrations made it hard for him to find work in his homeland.

After Carlos retired several years ago, Noe took over his West Marin accounts. Both father and son have tended to gardens and executed countless repairs and improvements for residents from Inverness to Stinson Beach. 

Carlos began working for Mr. Lyman shortly after arriving in the area. When Mr. Lyman learned that he had been living in a garage, he built a cottage on his four-acre property and invited Carlos to move in. Mr. Rodriguez has continued living there since his father moved back to Mexico to be closer to his wife, Berta.

“They have become part of our family,” Mr. Lyman said. “Noe’s involved in all our family gatherings. He comes for all the holidays—Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving. He’s close to my entire extended family.”

Mr. Rodriguez has a degree in computer engineering, but he loves the outdoors and enjoys working with his hands. 

“Noe is just a happy-go-lucky guy,” Mr. Lyman said. “He always has a smile on his face. He’d skip up the driveway from his cottage to my house every morning. He always checks in.”

Berta comes to visit Inverness several times a year and loves spending time in the Lymans’ garden. She and Noe’s older brother arrived in Inverness last week, the night before the accident happened.

They are now staying in Walnut Creek, near John Muir Medical Center, where Mr. Rodriguez was flown by helicopter after the accident. Mr. Alderdice and his wife, Laura, who both speak fluent Spanish, have been visiting him regularly.

“We are shattered by what happened,” Ms. Alderdice said. “It’s so hard to grab hold of this.”

Mr. Rodriguez will likely remain in the hospital for at least another week before being transferred to a rehabilitation facility. His brother has postponed his return to Mexico and will remain in Inverness to help coordinate the landscaping crew. 

“If we don’t keep that crew going, there’s going to be three or four more families without any income,” said Mr. Alderdice, who originally hired Noe for construction help but came to think of him as a dear friend. “We have to keep that going so that those guys aren’t out on the street all of a sudden.”

As soon as she learned about the accident, Ms. Alderdice set up the GoFundMe. Among the first to contribute was Ivan Diamond, another Drakes Summit neighbor. 

“Noe is a very valuable member of our community,” Mr. Diamond said. “He’s the guy to call if you have an emergency or a problem. He’s always around, and he’s always cheerful.”

Hundreds more people have since contributed, including many who didn’t know Mr. Rodriguez but learned of the tragedy from friends. “It’s so moving,” Ms. Alderdice said. “It makes me cry.” 

To contribute funds for Noe Rodriguez’s care, visit www.gofundme.com/f/ywpx3-please-help-our-friend.