team brendon

The terrible consequences of a drunk driver!

Team Brendon has taken on the Etchison children. Their mother Amanda was involved in a terrible head on collision. Amanda and her fiance were on their way home from a beach vacation on June 22, 2007. A drunk driver hit their truck head on and took the life of Amanda’s fiance and left Amanda to fight for her life. Amanda was in the hospital for 8 weeks with 3 of those weeks in ICU. While in the hospital she underwent 15 surgeries to try to put back together her badly broken body. Amanda suffered a broke jaw, her teeth were knocked out, a broke back, her left hip was broken, her left foot had 3rd degree burns, her right wrist was broken and her right foot was broken as well. She also had injuries to her bladder, colon and intestines. So far the doctors were able to put teeth back that were found, save her burned foot by performing skin graphs, she has pins and plates in her right hand and foot, rods in her back, part of her colon had to be taken out and her bladder and intestines were repaired.

Amanda was the sole provider for her three beautiful children. Alexis, Austyn and Adiken are now Team Brendon All Stars! The responsibility for caring for the children was shared throughout Amanda’s entire family. Amanda said, ” This wreck has changed not only my life, but my parents and grandparents too! I have the best family ever! They all stood by my side every day, every step of the way and still do today! When I got moved to a regular room, there wasn’t a night that my mom wasn’t there laying in the floor sleeping by my side. There wasn’t a day that my grandparents didn’t show up for a visit, just to sit around and talk to me or just to watch me sleep. Every day that they were there, and every night that my mom was in the floor…I thank God for my family.”

Amanda’s mother and father moved Amanda and her three children into their home so they could take care of Amanda and her children. Amanda’s Dad works seven days a week - straight with no break to support the entire family. Her mother lost her job because she was denied her family Medical Leave since Amanda is over the age of 18. Amanda said, ” My parents moved me and my children into their home because I have to have their help. They went from having no one except them in their home to having 4 extra people. I went from being able to bend over and pick up my toddler to having him handed to me to hold. I can’t give Adiken a bath or help Alexis wash her hair or just do mommy things that I should be doing. I can’t cook for them right now, I can’t help them get dressed for the simple fact that it still takes my mom’s help for me to get dressed.”

Team Brendon has added this family to the All Stars to try to help them “hang on”. With Christmas coming up their situation is only going to get harder. Donations are being accepted for the Etchison Family on our web site or can be mailed to Team Brendon.

As always, we appreciate your support!