Drew Christy fights on

When a winter storm rolls through, all good drivers know to take it slow and use caution. However, drivers can only be cautious up to a point where chance and luck, and as some believe, God’s will takes over.

“A week ago today I received the phone call that all parents dread…your child has been involved in a serious accident,” Mark Christy, Drew Christy’s father, said on Friday, February 29th as he reflected in the family’s online journal.

Two weeks ago, as Drew Christy was making his way home for quarter break on a night when the road conditions were less than desirable, his car caught a patch of black ice on US 40 East, about 3000 ft from Manhattan Road. His car then spun out of control and the driver’s side of the car hit a tree. Paramedics had to cut him out of his car and rush him to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for emergency surgery. Currently the sophomore biomedical engineer remains at Methodist Hospital in critical condition and in a coma. Since the accident, Christy has been through multiple surgeries and had a roller coaster of a ride. Most recently, however, Christy’s condition has reached the point where the doctors have done all they can do and now wait on him.

As Christy continues on the road to recovery, many people have faith in his ability to come out of this on top. Head football coach Steve Englehart mentioned how Christy “has great courage, strength and determination.” Englehart continued saying “He is a wonderful teammate and friend and is a coach’s dream. He is always smiling. He loves life and lives it to the fullest.”

In an effort to help the family with medical costs, the football coaching staff has been selling ten dollar T-shirts with the number seven, Christy’s number, and a slogan on the back reading “The Most Important Day is TODAY.” The phrase is something the family’s online journal mentions helps them to not worry about all the what-ifs that the future may hold and focus on the present.

The coaching staff will continue to sell the T-shirts in the Hulman Memorial Union or you can stop by Steve Englehart’s office in the Sports and Recreation Center.

For an update on Drew Christy’s condition, you can visit the family’s website at www.caringbridge.org/visit/drewchristy. So far the site has garnered over 61,000 hits.