Three days after an accident left him with a paralyzing spinal chord injury, friends and family are rallying to help Justin Howell.
Howell, 20, injured his C-5 vertebra after reportedly diving into the Bogue Chitto River head-first from a tire swing on Sunday. He was in stable condition at University Medical Center today.
Meanwhile, two funds are accepting donations to assist the Summit man with his medical care.
Howell’s father, McComb firefighter Jason Howell, said Tuesday another surgery is scheduled for next week.
“He is responsive. He’s responsive to us,” Howell said. “We’re making it. It’s kind of rough. We’re taking it minute by minute.
“I want to thank everybody for their support — all the calls and all the prayers.”
McComb fire Capt. Warren Agnor said family friend Debbie Lemastus Harwell and the fire department have benefit funds for Howell at Pike National Bank. A separate trust fund established through the McComb Federal Credit Union opened Tuesday.
“We’re not necessarily asking for big donations: anything they can give,” Agnor said. “Jason and them have a long road ahead of them.
“If you look for a go-to guy, you go to Jason. That’s why you’re seeing such an outpouring of support for him and his family.”
Another Summit man also is listed in stable condition after a similar accident on Monday. Zachary Alexander, 23, reportedly suffered a fracture in the C-6 vertebra of his neck after doing a back flip off a cliff near the Bogue Chitto Water Park.
Alexander’s family did not return phone calls.
