PAGE A10, KEIZERTIMES, MAY 29, 2015
Friends rally to support Verboort
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
On Friday, May 22, three
McNary High School stu-
dents were involved in a car
crash on Lockhaven Drive N.
While two of the involved
students were treated and re-
leased, the third, Austin Ver-
boort, remained in a coma at
Salem Hospital at press time.
Details of the exact circum-
stances are still being investi-
gated, but Verboort sustained
brain trauma and fractures.
Loved ones, friends, teach-
ers and more turned out in
droves at the hospital show-
ing their support for Verboort,
with many standing vigil for
hours, but friend Trevor Gil-
bert knows something others
might not:
“If it had to happen to any-
body, he’s one of the strongest
people I know. He’s going to
get through it and he’s going
to be fi ne,” Gilbert said.
Friends since they were
toddlers, Gilbert and Verboort
have grown up together and
he wishes his friend knew
how much support he’s get-
ting from the community.
“He’s the best guy I know
and he’s super-generous. He
would have been at the hospi-
tal for any of us,” Gilbert said.
Within hours of the acci-
dent, a GoFundMe account
(www.gofundme.com/vaeees)
had been set up to assist the
Verboort family with medical
expenses. It topped $10,000
within 48 hours and exceeded
$13,000 as of May 27.
Response at McNary has
been quick and overwhelm-
ing.
By Tuesday morning, stu-
dents in the Celtic graphic arts
program had asked to design
T-shirts in support of Verboort
and they were on sale for $20
at the school by the end of the
school day. Shirts are available
at the school and all proceeds
are being donated to the fam-
ily.
Tori Fryman and Katelyn
Kolb were two of the graphic
arts students printing shirts.
“It’s nice having so many
people want the shirts already,”
said Kolb.
CRASH: ‘This is what his
body and brain need...’
Courtesy Keizer Police Department
Austin Verboort was critically injured on May 22 when the
white 1995 Jeep he was driving collided with the 1986 Chev-
rolet Blazer seen on the left. The other two teens involved in
the crash were released from the hospital not long after, but
Verboort was in a coma.
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
Katelyn Kolb and Tori Fryman print #supportverboort T-shirts in the graphic design room at
McNary High School. Students began producing the T-shirts Tuesday morning.
Fryman added, “We’re
showing (Austin) that we care
even though he doesn’t know
it yet.”
During lunch periods on
Tuesday, staff and faculty mem-
bers Kim Pittsley, Spencer
Doyle, Kathryn Reyes, Steph-
anie Hanson, Tracy Rhoades
and Rhonda Rhodes were or-
ganizing efforts to send cards
to the Verboort family.
A prayer vigil was held
at Dayspring Fellowship
Wednesday, May 27.
Friend Austin Herndon
said Verboort’s personality
made him someone everyone
wanted to be around, and the
outpouring is only proof of
that.
“We got his back, he’s had
ours and we’ll have him,”
Herndon said.
McNary Principal Erik
Jespersen addressed the entire
school regarding the situation
during announcements Tues-
day morning.
“When people ask me
about what it’s like to be the
principal of McNary High
School, I tell them that this
school is a community. At
McNary, and in Keizer, people
care for one another and sup-
port each other,” said Jespers-
en. “In times such as these, it
is important to be sensitive to
those who may be struggling
right now. I would encourage
everyone to focus on the small
things today. Be kind to one
another, say please and thank-
you, smile a little more today.”
(Continued from pg. A1)
“We are encouraged by
these slow improvements that
he continues to make,” the site
said. “He is still in a coma but
we are remaining patient and
remembering that this is what
his body and brain need to rest
and heal.”
Another update was posted
Tuesday evening.
“Austin has continued
to breathe on his own today
even after being (incubated),”
the update read in part. “He is
still in a coma in critical con-
dition. We are all hanging in
there and are so thankful for
the continued love and sup-
port each and everyone of you
have shown us. It has been so
incredibly helpful. We know
we have a long road ahead of
us so keep being patient and
rallying behind our boy.”
Sgt. David LeDay with the
KPD on Tuesday still gave no
indication of what happened.
“This case is being worked
on and is currently under in-
vestigation,” LeDay said. “Be-
fore any fi nal release of infor-
mation is made, we need to
make sure all the facts are in
place.”
LeDay noted accident re-
construction cases “tradition-
ally take at least a month or
so” to complete. Anyone who
witnessed the crash is asked to
contact LeDay at 503-390-
3713 ext. 3482.
Police Chief John Teague
on Wednesday afternoon con-
fi rmed Verboort was headed
west on Lockhaven when he
attempted a u-turn and was t-
boned by the Blazer.
Lockhaven Drive was
closed for several hours af-
ter the accident as members
of the Marion County Crash
Team comprised of members
from the KPD, Oregon State
Police, Salem Police Depart-
ment, Marion County Sher-
iff ’s Offi ce and Woodburn Po-
lice Department investigated.
A prayer vigil was held for
Verboort on Wednesday after-
noon at Dayspring Fellowship
Church in Keizer.
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