By Zac Nicholson – Special to the Sydenham Current
A fundraiser took place this past weekend at the CBD Club in Wallaceburg for WDSS grade 12 student Brayden Fields.
The 17-year-old Wallaceburg District Secondary School student was involved in a serious car accident on Nov. 21, 2015. He suffered multiple injuries as a result of the accident, but he is gradually improving and is currently in Toronto at a rehabilitation centre.
The fundraiser was launched to help offset the expenses for the Fields’ family.
Brayden has only been home twice, but since his first visit home, he has been making huge leaps on his road to recovery.
“He’s been doing so well,” said Julie Fields, Brayden’s mother.
“Considering his whole left side wasn’t moving, now ever since that visit he’s been regaining movement in his extremities.”
When word traveled that Brayden, a grade 12 student at WDSS, had been in a serious accident, the community quickly huddled around the Fields family and embraced them as if they were their own family.
“We were speechless and overcome with emotion that the community would be so generous,” said Andrew Fields, Brayden’s father.
“That’s why we wanted to do this, we wanted to thank everyone for their generosity and show everyone his progress.”
The Fields family was able to meet Wendy Richmond and her daughter Emma on Saturday.
Wendy and Emma were in the vehicle directly behind Brayden’s when the accident occurred.
When Wendy saw the accident, she quickly called 911.
The Tupperville Fire Department was quickly dispatched and was on scene in minutes.
Ironically, that very same day, the Tupperville Fire Department had gone through a days’ worth of auto extrication training, the technique in which the Jaws of Life and other such tools are used to remove entrapped victims from their vehicle.
The doctor at the Wallaceburg hospital where Brayden was first brought even went with him to London due to his condition.
“I would really like to get ahold of all the first responders and thank them for everything they did that day,” Julie said.
The community has helped keep the Fields family’s spirits up, as well as motivation for Brayden.
The constant outpour of compassion from the community has really humbled Andrew and Julie.
“This has really taught us to slow down and appreciate the little things,” Andrew said.
“You need to take time as a family and just sit down and have dinner together and just appreciate the little things.”
The Fields family wants to thank everyone involved from the time of the accident to the likes on Facebook.
“We truly humbled and words can’t describe how grateful we are. Thank you, we will definitely find a way to pay it forward,” Julie said.
The upstairs of the CBD Club was packed on Saturday evening for the fundraising event, which included entertainment from the Neil Malcolm Band, 50/50 draw, Chinese Auction and silent auction.
We’ll provide an updated story once all the fundraising totals are calculated.
– Photo from Facebook: Brayden Fields with his parents Andrew and Julie on Saturday at the CBD in Wallaceburg.
