Christian Peterson
reporter.riverbendnews@gmail.com
On Saturday, July 27, Eddie Collier was working with his cousin, Lee Chauncey of Veteran's Tree Services to clear land in Wellborn. Collier was 45 feet off the ground in a bucket truck. In a turn of events that no one could have predicted, a tree limb snapped back and hit the bucket that Collier was in. This sent him careening towards the ground headfirst, ending in serious injuries.
Chauncey is a retired paramedic and immediately began helping his cousin. It is taught that when someone falls from a height that is three times their height it can be fatal. However, Collier hit a chain-link fence, which helped break his fall. Nevertheless, the fall was still brutal. Collier broke his back in three places, had six broken ribs, a punctured lung that collapes, a lacerated liver, a lacerated spleen and his right arm was crushed.
Unfortunately, Collier is now in a rough spot. He had just received full custody of his daughter, and is very concerned about the future, as the accident will keep him away from work for a long time. Thankfully, since then, Collier has left the hospital. However, that doesn't mean that his road to recovery isn't still long. To help out, a GoFundMe page has been set up. The money will go to Collier to help support him as a single father, and to help with his medical expenses. Visit the the GoFundMe website and search: “Help Eddie and his daughter through this crisis.”