Photo courtesy blogforjackie.com.
By Nick Carson
From a fight allegedly involving four KU football players, 19-year-old Bloomsburg University student Jackie Lithgow is in critical condition at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Montour County. The Boiling Spring High School grad suffered major head trauma in the fight, including a concussion, a fractured skull, a bruised frontal lobe and bleeding in the brain.
It was after the fight that Lithgow’s parents took to the internet and created a blog to update the public on their son’s progress. The blog, named “Blog for Jackie” contains posts from Jackie’s sister and parents, and can be found at prayforjackie.com.
The first post came on Feb. 25, just two days after the frat party fight that left Lithgow in a coma. In the post, Lithgow’s parents especially thank the thoughts and prayers of all of his friends and family. It also provides detailed descriptions of Lithgow’s first night in the hospital, including multiple tests and CAT scans, and a lengthy procedure to “have a good portion of the left side of his skull removed.”
Despite the fact that Lithgow’s parents were instructed not to touch or even talk to their son on his first night in the hospital, the posts say that they have since been encouraged to talk to him.
The last paragraph of the most recent blog post, written by Lithgow’s sister, provides an insight into Jackie Lithgow, and how positive his family and friends remain.
“Stay strong Jackie and know that when you find the strength to open your eyes again we will be there sitting and talking beside you and will be at the ready to hold you and help you stay positive yet stubborn through the recovery to come. Love you to the moon and back then back again, – Sis.”
Since the creation of the Blog for Jackie, multiple fundraising opportunities have been created to aid the Lithgow family in his long recovery. At booster.com/runningthemarathonwithjackie, t-shirts are being sold for $20 and, as of Tuesday, March 4, over $1800 has been raised. The t-shirt campaign is also just 19 shirts shy of their 150 shirt goal, with over two weeks to go.
Also, at gofundme.com/75frh0, over $33,000 has been raised in a campaign started by Dan Elias. The campaign, called Jackie’s Marathon, has set a goal of $35,000. On the website, Elias wrote, “Your donations will go to Jackie’s family for the costs that they must go through during this. Things such as gas, food, and places to stay so that they are close to Jackie add up quickly. Even if you cannot donate much, every little bit helps Jackie and his family get through this marathon a little easier.”