ATHOL — A 13-year-old boy struck by a vehicle Tuesday remains sedated and on a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.
Devone Fox said Friday that her son, Javan Fox, had ridden to Tully Lake on his bicycle and was on his way back home when he got caught in a torrential rainstorm in the area of West Royalston Road at Logan Road.
“He collided with a big pickup truck,” said Fox, “The driver didn’t see him, but stopped and called 911 and stayed with him.” She said her son was wearing a helmet and his wallet in his pocket “so they were able to call me right away.”
The police declined to release details of the accident as the incident remains under investigation.
Javan was transported by ambulance to Athol Hospital, a LifeFlight helicopter was called but because of the severe weather could not fly. He was stabilized and transferred by ground “Lifeflight” to Worcester with head injuries, facial fractures, fractures to his vertebrae, and a broken wrist, according to his mother.
“There is no internal bleeding,” said Fox, “and they thought there may be damage to the optic nerve in the left eye. It’s a waiting game.”
The boy is in a medically induced coma and it is hoped by the weekend doctors can bring him out of sedation, remove the respirator and begin feeding him by tube.
“We have had super support from family, friends and the community. Everybody has been very supportive,” said Fox.
Her son is a rising eighth grader at Athol Royalston Middle School, and has played street hockey since the age of four. She said he plays on the junior varsity volleyball team, plays basketball at the YMCA, is a member of Boy Scout Troop 8, and plays saxophone in the school band. She describes her son as an average reader who loves to play disc golf, go fishing and “hanging out” with his grandfather in their garden, and listens all kinds of music.
He has a brother, Coby, 20, and a sister, Tatum, 15, who will be a sophomore at Athol High School.
His mother, who is employed at Athol Pharmacy, 290 Main St., said her colleagues are collecting donations (and prayers) on her son’s behalf. The Pharmacy is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday 9 a.m to 1 p.m.
A GoFundMe page, at www.gofundme.com/help-javan-fox-and-family, was established by Susan MacLeod on behalf of Devone Fox, to help the family with medical and travel expenses and as of 2 p.m. Friday afternoon, $10,325 was raised by 210 people in two days.
A fund has also been established at the Athol Savings Bank. Donations may be sent to: The Javon Fox Trust Fund, c/o Athol Savings Bank, 1499 Main STreet, Athol, MA 01331.
In a recent Facebook post Devone Fox stated, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has called, texted, or messaged me…to everyone who helped Fox from the scene to now…for the generous donations and the snacks and the offers of help. And thank you especially for the prayers. Please keep praying. I want my Foxy Loxy back!”