Boy struck, badly wounded by car while playing outside in Lawrence continues recovery
As a Lawrence middle schooler recovers from a horrific crash, community members are coming together to help his family.
Loved ones set up a GoFundMe to help support the family of Edison Sinkler, a Lawrence student who was struck by a vehicle and badly hurt while playing outside last month. The online fundraising page will help fund his road to recovery.
Edison’s mother, Laura Sinkler, is a longtime teacher at Raintree Montessori School in Lawrence, where he is a sixth grade student. His father, Austin Sinkler, is a drummer for the local band Heavy Petty. He also has a sister.
Loved ones said Edison is “an avid aviation buff with a thoughtful demeanor and impeccably unique sense of style,” according to the GoFundMe.
On Sept. 26, Edison was playing with a neighbor across the street from his family’s home. When he realized he needed a part for the remote control airplane he was flying, he ran back home. As he crossed the street, he was struck by a car, according to the fundraising page.
“Their street isn’t your typical neighborhood road, it’s a major highway that runs through the many small towns of America,” the GoFundMe reads. “The Sinklers live in rural Kansas, where neighbors very often rely upon one another in a pinch.”
Edison has since undergone multiple surgeries and was initially taken to the pediatric intensive care unit where he was intubated and sedated. He suffered a traumatic brain injury.
On Oct. 3, his breathing tube was removed and shortly after he was moved out of the ICU and into a pediatric unit.
“We do not know the entire extent of how he was affected, and time will reveal the full scope of the trauma he has suffered,” the GoFundMe reads. “As doctors assess the next steps, the realization is that the path to recovery will be a long road ahead.”
The family is facing more medical bills as Edison gets rehabilitative care and physical therapy.
As of Tuesday morning, the fundraiser had garnered more than $63,000 in donations.
This story was originally published October 11, 2022 at 2:29 PM.
