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‘GoFundMe’ page created for Vanderhoof women who were in a brutal accident last month

Sasha Mortensen and Jessica Raymond were hit by a pick-up truck July 29, while in an embrace on Keith Road next to Plateau Mill.
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Jessica Raymond and Sasha Mortensen. (GoFundMe photo)

Warning: This story contains elements that some may find disturbing.

Two young women in Vanderhoof are receiving intensive care due to an accident recently near Plateau Mill while they were exchanging kids for a sleepover.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Sasha Mortensen and Jessica Raymond, who were hit by a pick-up truck on Keith Road. The page was set up as both their spouses are taking time away from their logging industry jobs to support the women, as well as to cover ongoing medical related expenses.

On July 29, the women had pulled their vehicles off to the side on the road. Here, Raymond’s kids hopped into Mortensen’s vehicle which had her kids in it as well, as per a statement received from the Chris and Jessica Raymond, and Russell Lenny who is Mortensen’s husband.

“While on the side of the road, a logging truck went by, stirring up a lot of dust and minimizing visibility, followed by a pickup. The driver of the pickup did not see Sasha and Jessica embraced in a hug beside their vehicles, and ran over top of Sasha pulling her under his vehicle and trapping Jessica between her own pickup and the travelling pickup, rolling her down the sides of the vehicles and tossing her to the ground,” the statement read.

Mortensen was thrown from under the travelling pick-up under her own jeep. Meanwhile, Raymond came out her shocked state to the sounds of the screaming kids and was able to pull Mortensen from under the jeep and revive her on-scene.

Raymond’s daughter called both 911 and her father, while Raymond (Jessica) was trying to cover Mortensen’s “gaping” wounds with gauze that was provided by the driver of the pick-up.

Paramedics arrived on-scene and Mortensen was air lifted to Prince George hospital where she underwent emergency surgery to remove her spleen and to stop her liver from bleeding.

“She was put into a medically induced coma for approximately three days due to brain swelling. A later x-ray showed that Sasha (Mortensen) had a broken ankle, broken foot, and five broke vertebrae in her upper back. When doctors brought her out of the coma, Sasha had full speech abilities and was able to wiggle her toes and fingers, though she had no memory of the accident,” as per the family’s statement.

Raymond on the other hand was rushed to St. John Hospital in Vanderhoof via ambulance and then was moved to Prince George for further treatment. She has multiple fractures in her right shoulder and upper chest along with severe internal bruising including bruised legs.

She was released from hospital in Prince George on July 30, but was re-admitted on Aug. 3 due to complications with internal bruising, and was released later the same day.

Raymond is at home on bed-rest currently with her husband Christopher Raymond and their two kids, and is expected to make a full recovery in time.

Mortensen is still in the Intensive Care Unit of the Prince George hospital and is accompanied by her husband Russell Lenny while her two kids are in the care of their grandparents.

“She is scheduled to meet with an orthopedic surgeon on Aug. 6 in regards to her foot and doctors are very optimistic about her recovery,” as per the family’s statement.


Aman Parhar
Editor, Vanderhoof Omineca Express

aman.parhar@ominecaexpress.com

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