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Fond du Lac crash survivor sees strong support online

Dec 20, 2017 | 1:00 PM

A crowdfunding page for a young man injured in last week’s plane crash in Fond du Lac has already raised more than $2,500.

The West Wind Aviation ART-42 crashed shortly after taking off from the fly-in community Dec. 13. Although there were no fatalities among the 22 passengers and three crew members onboard, several had to be airlifted to hospital for treatment. Among the injured passengers was 19-year-old Arson Jr. Fern. The young man, who has cerebral palsy and was travelling south for a medical appointment, suffered broken bones and other injuries in the crash, according to Fern’s father, Arson Sr. Fern.

Fern said Arson Jr. was pinned against a wall and trapped for three hours before he could finally be removed from the freezing wreckage. According to Fern, the crash left Arson Jr. with two broken legs, a broken pelvis, internal bleeding and a collapsed lung. He has since undergone surgery at Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital, Fern said, and additional surgeries are planned.

The GoFundMe page has raised $2,504 of a $15,000 goal in the four days since it was posted, thanks to 54 donors. According to Fern, the money will be used to keep the family together in Saskatoon over the holidays as Arson Jr. continues to work towards recovery in hospital.