A single dad who is trying to bring his 12-year-old son home from the IWK Health Centre is a little closer to reaching his goal.
Kevin Turner of Timberlea, N.S. shared his family’s story on CTV News Thursday evening, and since then, donations have poured in.
Evan suffered a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a car while riding his bicycle last May. He can no longer eat, walk or talk, but after spending almost a year at the children’s hospital in Halifax, Evan is finally ready to go home.
“At least having him home, he’ll be with us,” says Turner, a single dad with four children. “He can sit and watch TV with us.”
But the Turners need a little help getting him there. The military has fast-tracked a wheelchair-accessible home for the family, but they still need a van, motorized wheelchair, hospital bed and lift system – just a few of the essential items on a very long list.
Turner started a fundraising page a few months ago with a goal of raising $50,000, but the fundraising efforts had stalled at $8,000 – until Thursday.
After Turner’s story aired on CTV News, hundreds flocked to the online donations page, donating thousands of dollars in 24 hours. As of 5 p.m. Friday, more than $24,000 had been raised.
“I’m overwhelmed. I’m shocked,” says Turner. “The amount of love and support that’s coming through is just absolutely amazing.”
The family has also heard from people wanting to donate hospital beds and wheelchair-accessible vans. Turner says he is grateful and will take all the help he can get.
“There’s going to be regular visits to the hospital. There’s going to be regular therapy. Not all of his supplies are covered 100 per cent,” he says. “So there’s going to be care and costs on top of that.”
Turner, who moved to Halifax from Edmonton just four months before Evan’s accident, says he is blown away by Maritime generosity.
“It’s amazing to see how much everybody pulls together.”
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kayla Hounsell
