UNION COUNTY, Pa. — A family was driving back to their home in Delmont from a dance competition in New Jersey on Monday when a tractor-trailer failed to slow down for construction, jack-knifed, and landed on their car.
The George family’s story, told in pictures: an oceanside vacation, a trip to the ice cream parlor and an extended family gathering, but the family’s latest road trip coming back from the World Dance Competition in New Jersey ended in utter devastation on Monday.
State police say a tractor-trailer driver failed to slow down for traffic stopped for construction on I-80 in Union County, causing a seven-vehicle chain-reaction crash -hitting and jackknifing and landing on the family’s Honda Pilot.
“We entered a work zone and slowed down, and came to a complete stop, sitting in traffic, and I look to my husband — we will probably be sitting in traffic with work construction – and the next thing I know, just boom, boom, boom, boom,” mother Lynn George said.
Lynn amazingly climbed out of the mangled car with bumps and bruises.
Her immediate concern was for her husband and children: 17-year-old William, 14-year-old Lillian and 9-year-old Declan.
Lynn’s husband, Jayson, and their two boys were lifeflighted to Geisinger Medical Center.
She and her daughter were taken by ambulance. All are facing a long road to recovery.
Her 9-year-old is in the worst shape; both sides of his skull were removed to relieve pressure on his brain. The doctors say Declan’s condition is hour by hour.
Lynn is remaining strong for her family and asking for prayers.
A GoFundMe has been set up by their family friend, Julie, to help with expenses.
“At the end of the day, any parent can look at this story and at some point it touches them and you think about what would I do in that situation,” Lynn said.
Lynn’s husband, Jayson, has undergone multiple surgeries and will be in the hospital for at least two to three weeks.
Her daughter Lillian is a competitive dancer; doctors are not certain if she will be able to dance again.
Her older son William has a significant spinal injury and it’s not clear what lasting damage he’ll have.
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