Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Alex Cabrero Reporting This is the story of a local teenager's fight to stay alive, and his parents' battle to pay the bills.
Sixteen-year old Garrett Ford is in a coma tonight. He was in a terrible head-on collision last Friday. Garrett opened his eyes for just a second today, but that's about it. So far, it's been more bad news than good news.
Jana Buchi: "He is just the funniest kid, and he's very lively."
Whether modeling his cool shorts at the beach or flying through the air on his 4-wheeler, Garrett Ford enjoyed life as much as he could.
Chris Cox, Garrett's Brother: "Oh, he's just a punk kid. He's a good kid."
Chris Cox isn't too jealous of his brother, but he'd sure like to hang out with him again.
Chris Cox: "You look at him, but he's just not there, you know."
The last time Chris saw him outside a hospital bed was just after Garrett's crash this past Friday in Sandy. He collided head-on with another vehicle; Garrett's ended up underneath it. In an unexplainable coincidence, Chris just happened to drive by and recognized the car.
Chris Cox: "I remember I couldn't open his door because it was smashed together, so I ripped his window out. I just wanted to hold his hand, tell him, ‘You'll be okay, and you'll pull through Garrett, just hang in there.'"
Garrett broke his jaw, his clavicle and some ribs, but worst of all, he has serious brain damage, leaving him in a coma that so far, he can't get out of.
Jana Buchi, Garrett's Mother: "You don't really picture what it's going to really be like to see your baby there on the bed with everything in his mouth and nose and everything, and he's not moving."
Russell Ford, Garrett's Father: "This could be a very lengthy recovery."
And doctors aren't sure yet if he will recover.
Russell Ford: "It's a tough one to deal with, it really is."
To add to it all, Garrett's mother's insurance at her new job didn't kick in until yesterday, meaning the family doesn't have any coverage for him. If you can help them out, they set up a foundation at any Chase bank branch under the Russell Garrett Ford Foundation.
