A fund has been created to assist with hospital bills for Emilio Hernandez-Martinez of Durango, who was involved in a rollover collision two weeks ago on Molas Pass.
His family said Monday that Hernandez-Martinez is in stable condition at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood and probably will stay in the intensive care unit for the next two weeks.
After the crash on June 30 north of Durango on U.S. Highway 550, Hernandez-Martinez was taken to Mercy Regional Medical Center and then airlifted to St. Anthony.
He was not wearing a seat belt, said Capt. Adrian Driscoll with the Colorado State Patrol.
The Fort Lewis College student has been in the ICU since the accident, his father, Eumelio Hernandez, said by phone Monday from Lakewood.
The first couple of days, he was in critical condition, but after the fourth day, he began to make progress, he said.
Both Eumelio and Aracely (Martinez) Hernandez, parents of Hernandez-Martinez, are staying at a hotel near the hospital, said Kristin Cannon, a friend of Hernandez-Martinez.
“We are staying here until we can make it back to Durango,” Eumelio Hernandez said.
A donation fund has been set up to assist the family with medical bills and rehabilitation for their son in the future, Cannon said.
“Dealing with all of this, anything helps,” Hernandez said. “We are just in one of those tragedies of life.”
Donations for Hernandez-Martinez may be made at Wells Fargo Bank, 200 W. College Drive, Durango, CO 81301. Checks should be made payable to Emilio Hernandez Donation Fund.
tferraro@durangoherald.com
