Family rallies in support of injured man's return home

SULPHUR SPRINGS — On May 16, Kyle Kirkland’s early morning drive to work at the Tyson plant was ordinary until it suddenly took a life-changing turn. The tires of his Dodge truck slipped off of the edge of Hwy 90 west of Noel.

“I tried to correct myself and it didn’t work,” explained Kirkland from his hospital room in Northwest Medical Center in Springdale. “I slung around four times. The fourth time I went overboard.”

The 26-year-old’s truck went airborne, hit a utility pole and then landed deep in a ravine.

“I remember I couldn’t move my legs. The last thing I remember was I reached up to turn the dome light on so someone could see me,” Kyle recalled.

Kirkland was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

“But I sure will now,” he said.

Because Kirkland’s headlights were knocked out in the accident, the man remained in the ditch for almost three hours, according to Kirkland’s mother and sister.

Bill Whitfield, a truck driver from Illinois, was hauling a load to the Tyson plant that morning when he saw the flash of light from Kirkland’s accident. Driving by the site of the crash, Whitfield did not notice Kyle’s vehicle, seeing only the black marks on the road from the truck’s tires. According to Kirkland’s family, when the truck driver passed the site again after unloading at the plant a few hours later, Whitfield decided to investigate further.

The driver backed his tractor-trailer rig down the hill to get a closer look. When he found Kirkland’s truck, Whitfield called 911.

Kyle remembered regaining consciousness in a Joplin hospital six days later.

“My feet were cold,” Kyle recalls.

Doctors at Freeman Hospital told Kyle and his family that he would suffer permanent damage from the spinal cord injury he suffered in the wreck. Three major surgeries and intensive rehabilitation have helped Kyle recover some basicfunctions he lost when he broke his neck.

Despite the long, difficult process ahead of them, Kirkland and his family remain optimistic about his recovery.

“Most people with injuries like his can only feel half of their arms,” explains Heather Groves, Kyle’s sister. “Also, Kyle can feel his legs. We think that’s a plus.”

Kirkland and his family are also grateful for the fact that Kyle had health insurance at the time of the accident.

“I got lucky,” Kirkland explains. “I made my first payment two days before the wreck.”

Kyle’s mother, Sulphur Springs resident Robin Bumgardner, unfolded the first bill they received, pointing out the total due: $199,827. Even after insurance pays its portion, Kyleand his family face significant costs.

“The cost of ongoing care in a case like Kyle’s can vary depending on the insurance company and how much his family is able to do,” explained Patricia Breese-Dworkin, a private brain- and spinal cord injury consultant. “The average cost for the first year is $535,000. After that, the family can expect about $60,000 in expenses. Many of the costs are not covered by insurance,” Breese-Dworkin explained.

For instance, the averagepower wheel chair, which costs $15,000, may or may not be covered.

To pay for these expenses, Kyle’s family is thinking creatively. They have collection containers around stores in Sulphur Springs and other towns in Benton County. Also, Kyle’s family has been collecting gentlyused goods to stock benefit yard sales.

“Last month we made enough to pay Kyle’s insurance premium of $190,” Kyle’s sister explained.

David Barber, an auctioneer based in Sulphur Springs, has agreed to include any high-value donations in his upcoming auctions and return all of the proceeds to Kyle Kirkland and his family.

When he leaves Northwest Medical Center July 6, Kirkland will have been hospitalized for over 7 weeks. His family plans on celebrating Kyle’s discharge and his 27th birthday with a barbecue in Sulphur Springs City Park. Many of the friends who have been important to Kyle in his recovery will be there.

“Kyle has always been outgoing and got along with everyone. He always had a smile on his face.” Kirkland’s sister said.

People interested in contributing goods to be sold at the benefit yard sale or Barber’s auction are welcome to contact Robin Bumgardner at 263-0560. Cash donations can also be made at area businesses.