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Vancouver brothers hurt on WSU trip still hospitalized

Justin and John Crawford face months of physical therapy, rehab

By Adam Littman, Columbian Staff Writer
Published: January 17, 2017, 12:48pm
2 Photos
After a Jan. 7 car accident left brothers John Crawford, left, and Justin Crawford in the hospital, a friend set up a GoFundMe page, which has raised more than $43,000 in a week.
After a Jan. 7 car accident left brothers John Crawford, left, and Justin Crawford in the hospital, a friend set up a GoFundMe page, which has raised more than $43,000 in a week. (Courtesy of James Crawford) Photo Gallery

Vancouver brothers Justin and John Crawford are still in the hospital more than a week after their Jan. 7 car crash. The Hockinson High School grads were seriously injured, and another person was killed, in an accident on their way back to Washington State University in Pullman after the winter break.

The Crawfords were brought to Kittitas Valley Healthcare in Ellensburg and then transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where Justin, 21, was taken into acute care and John, 18, was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, where he stayed for two or three days, according to James Crawford, their father.

As for their current conditions, James Crawford said Tuesday that he didn’t want to get into too many details at the moment. Justin Crawford has less severe injuries, but could be looking at least three months of physical therapy, his father said.

“John has pretty significant injuries,” James Crawford said. “He’s going to be in the hospital or in some type of rehab recovery for quite a while after this.”

To help

To donate money to the family, visit www.gofundme.com/2f-john-and-justin-crawford-fund.

He said both of his sons intend to return to college. Justin Crawford was about to begin his final semester as a kinesiology major. Since starting his recovery, Justin has taken an interest in physical therapy and might want to go into that as a career path, James Crawford said.

“I had a chance to read something he wrote at school,” James Crawford said. “WSU has really matured him. He’s a very stable, easygoing guy, but he’s matured so much since he went over there.”

John Crawford was about to start his second semester at WSU, and his father said he was starting to find his own path. The former Hockinson basketball player was always active.

“This is a setback for him,” James Crawford said. “He will get to a point where he’s capable of doing some type of sports again.”

The boys’ parents have been at the hospital with them since the night of the accident, when they rushed to Seattle after hearing about the crash. They’ve been staying overnight in the hospital on chairs that fold out into beds.

“John’s surgery was the first day after the accident and Justin’s surgery was the day after that,” James Crawford said. “Trying to manage two boys on two different floors was difficult. There was a lot of bouncing back and forth.”

The two boys are now in the same room, and they were in better spirits Monday, their father said. They have had some visitors from the Hockinson community, as well as members from their Beta Theta Pi fraternity. A lot of their friends were around for the memorial service for Dashiell Mortell, 19, of Bainbridge Island, who died in the crash.

“Many, many lives were touched as a result of that accident,” James Crawford said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to families of other students involved.”

In addition to the visitors, the family has heard from numerous community members from Hockinson and WSU.

“I have been in tears because I’m so overwhelmed with the love and support these boys have received,” James Crawford said.

After the accident, a friend set up a GoFundMe page — www.gofundme.com/2f-john-and-justin-crawford-fund — to help the family pay for the boys’ medical treatment. As of Tuesday afternoon, 395 people had donated $43,564 to the family in a little more than a week. The drive originally had a goal of $50,000, which was bumped to $100,000 after the initial influx. The family keeps the money even if the goal is not met.

“We have to thank the Hockinson community, WSU parents and Beta Theta Pi parents of Pullman and University of Washington chapters,” James Crawford said. “Both chapters pulled together, and the moms of both chapters very helpful.”

James Crawford said he dropped everything to go to the hospital after hearing about the accident, and he didn’t bring a jacket. Someone brought him a jacket. One the boys’ phones was lost during the crash, so a group of friends bought them an iPad so they could communicate with people. James Crawford’s co-workers also sent the family a care package.

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Columbian Staff Writer