Injured youth could use moral support

Dear editor:

I was wondering if the Mountain Home News would consider publishing a request for support for my brother who was injured in a car accident.

On the first of September my brother, Cody Warburton, turned 19 years old. On the way home from a birthday lunch in Boise, Cody drifted to the right side of I-84. He overcorrected and rolled his truck into the median. The Idaho State Police estimate the truck rolled four times. Cody was ejected from the vehicle and suffered major head wounds.

Cody's left ear was removed to the bone. During the three-hour surgery, the doctors at St. Al's relocated muscles from Cody's jaw to the left side of his head to cover tissue that had been lost. During the next few months Cody is expected to undergo reconstructive surgeries. The first will be a skin graft to create skin over the relocated muscles. Hopefully, in 3-5 months the astonishing doctors at St. Al's will be able reconstruct a new ear for my brother.

Until Cody's body is able to re-grow new skin where his ear used to be, he will not be able to work.

Cody is a hard-working mason. Like most laborer trades, bricklayers do not have health insurance.

During the meantime, I am going to be the full caregiver for my brother. Our parents are not mentally capable to care for my brother. Currently, at 21 years old, I work full time for CitiCards while attending Boise State University for a Pre-Veterinary Degree. I plan to go on to Washington State University to complete my degree.

After Cody was able to talk, my brother told me that he did not remember the car accident or the ambulance ride. Cody said he remembered being alone on the side of I-84. Cody said that shortly after, a woman was holding his head in her hands and that a man was calling for help on a cell phone.

First, I want to thank these strangers for keeping my brother in their hands until help arrived. I could only imagine how scared these passersby felt. It is amazing the courage and strength of these strangers that have become so important to our family.

It is also amazing the courage and strength of our community. If there is any way possible that a few more strangers could become family, Cody and I would be ever grateful for any more support that the community could provide.

Megan Warburton-Drake