Young boy with Down syndrome airlifted to Vancouver after work van ran over his chest
WEST KELOWNA – An eight-year-old boy with Down syndrome from West Kelowna is in critical condition in Vancouver Children’s Hospital today after a commercial van ran over his chest in his neighbourhood yesterday, June 22.
Jonah Pevach's mother Candice Loring says the accident happened around 4:30 p.m. and they were airlifted to Vancouver yesterday evening. Jonah is currently in intensive care.
“He was ran over by a van across his chest,” Candice says. “His lungs have collapsed and most of his ribs are broken.”
Loring says the extent of his injuries are not yet known but he is being examined by doctors. Her neighbour Alexandria Holtz says the accident happened at the Okanagan Metis and Aboriginal Housing Society on Ingram Road. The housing society is a low-income housing complex for aboriginal people with children.
Jonah’s father Steve was outside watching him play when the accident happened.
“The guy came flying around the corner and Steve didn’t even have time to get up,” Holtz says. “The van hit (Jonah) dead on and dragged him.”
RCMP Cpl. Joe Duncan confirmed the accident happened around 4:30 p.m., June 22.
"The vehicle stopped and the 55-year-old male driver remained on scene," he says. "The eight-year-old has substantial injuries and is in critical condition."
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money to pay for their trip and time away from work.
According to Holtz, Candice works part time as a mentor in the Aboriginal Room at Okanagan UBC campus and volunteers as the president of the Indigenous Students Association. Steve is a stay-at-home dad.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infonews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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29 responses
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Samantha Schenk – thank you for expressing your beautiful thoughts.Our prayers for the doctors and nurses who have Jonah’s life in their hands – may they use the knowledge and strength God blessed them with.Pray for Jonah’s family, may they have the understanding and strength to be strong thru this terrible time.May their faith and trust in God help to guide them in the times ahead – when Jonah is recuperating.God bless this precious child –
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lets all hope for a speedy recovery. http://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelowna/142874/Driver-worries-for-boy
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Melanie Watson You are absolutely right, I was commenting before all of the facts were laid bare.It saddens me it happened at all, I guess that’s why I watch out for my family so closely.
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Kimberly Fisher Roe Lets say the boys wasn’t laying down, is it then ok to play in the road?
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Please read the castanet article.http://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelowna/142874/Driver-worries-for-boyHave a great night people!
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Check out the castanet article… http://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelowna/142874/Driver-worries-for-boy
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Please stop the BLAME GAME on this thread,.., for God’s sake some sympathy and loving positive thoughts will go along ways. I can not imagine the pain the family is feeling, as well as the driver that hit the little boy.
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Why did you question that maybe the child was throwing fit……was it because he has down syndrome? That is a very offensive remark.
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So far I have asked everyone in my down syndrome communities online through facebook…and we have over 300 prayers coming in from around the world praying.
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From my family to yours, praying your son will pull through. I will lift you up in our Down syndrome communities across the world. If it hasn’t already been done, prayers being sent now. Praying.
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I’m sure it happened so fast and for the dad to say the driver was flying around the corner could be an exaggeration. I work with traffic and often the cars look like they are going faster than what they actually are. even 50km/h can look fast when you are standing still. besides you can’t blame this 100% on the driver when the father was letting his kid play in the middle of the street while he was sitting off to the side.
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I believe you may be taking the text of this article too literally. Nothing in this report, or any of them, say he was laying in the road before the van hit him.Let’s remember that accidents happen, and criticizing a parent who already feels incredibly guilty (regardless of blame) is unkind and destructive.
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The article said Steve (the Dad) didn’t have time to get up.The article says nothing about where Jonah was playing.Maybe you should read the article before being so freaking condescending towards a Dad who’s kid is in the hospital in critical condition.
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Jonah’s father Steve was outside watching him play when the accident happened. “The guy came flying around the corner and Steve didn’t even have time to get up,” Holtz says. “The van hit (Jonah) dead on and dragged him.”.”Time to get up?” So this father was letting his kid play in the middle of the street?Not just playing but laying down in the middle of the road?Its not like the driver drove through a park. , and smashed the kid off the swing set.I’m sorry this boy was injured but “Dad” should teach his kids the difference between a playground and a road.
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