6-year-old Bellingham, WA boy hospitalized after beach driftwood accident
Beach driftwood collapse injures 6-year-old boy
A 6-year-old boy is in critical condition after a massive driftwood log fell on his head at the beach. His parents say the freak accident occurred when a log from a makeshift teepee broke loose. Doctors are currently waiting for brain swelling to decrease to determine the full extent of the injuries.
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Bellingham community is rallying behind a 6-year-old boy who remains in critical condition after a massive piece of driftwood fell and pinned him while he was playing at the beach.
The child, Killian, was playing near a makeshift teepee structure constructed from driftwood when a large log broke loose. The piece of wood struck the back of his head, causing severe trauma.
Severe brain injuries and medical wait
According to Killian’s parents, Sonja McCartney and Marcos Gonzales, the impact pinned the boy between the log and the ground. The incident resulted in multiple skull fractures and extensive damage to the back of his brain.
Killian is currently within the critical first 72 hours of his injury. Doctors are waiting for the swelling and internal pressure to decrease before they can obtain more definitive imaging of his brain, a medical milestone that likely will not happen until early next week.
Killian and his sister (left) and Killian in the hospital recovering from the driftwood accident
What they're saying:
"He has had an unclear number of strokes in his cerebellum, and the area is very dark and appears necrotic," McCartney said.
Family navigates 'Freak Accident'
The boy's parents described the immense emotional toll of watching their son fight for his life from a hospital bed.
"Pretty much the worst thing you could ever possibly go through," McCartney said.
Gonzales added that processing the situation has been incredibly difficult. "It's really hard to close your eyes and not hope that this is the nightmare that you're waking up from."
Despite the severity of the situation, the parents emphasized that the incident was completely unforeseen. "It was just one of those really terrible freak accidents, and it was nobody's fault," McCartney said.
Community rallies to support family
Killian’s 10-year-old sister was present when the accident occurred. His parents noted that she is deeply distraught and struggling with the trauma, as the two siblings are very close.
In response to the medical emergency, a family friend has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help support the family during their hospital stay. Killian's parents expressed their gratitude to members of the community who have donated to the fund.
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