Fundraiser set up for Vancouver Island crash survivor

The family of a 23-year-old Vancouver Island man who was trapped in a crushed vehicle for five days has started a Gofundme campaign to raise money for the seriously injured survivor.

Duncan Moffat remains in an intensive care unit at Victoria General Hospital after his truck went off a cliff south of Sayward, 74 kilometres northwest of Campbell River, and he was pinned inside the vehicle. Moffat was unable to move after sustaining multiple broken bones and internal injuries. Not only was he trapped, but he was out of cellphone range so he had no way of contacting anyone. He survived on a crate of apples and a bit of Gatorade, according to family.

Moffat was found by chance by a hunter on Tuesday and taken by air to hospital for treatment of a broken shoulder, ribs, a broken leg and a partly collapsed lung.

The Gofundme campaign has since been created to raise money to help the young man recover.

His family said Wednesday that Moffat had more injuries than initially thought. He also has a broken clavicle and a number of internal organ injuries.

“It is a miracle he survived,” said Molly Fraser, Moffat’s cousin, who set up the Gofundme page. “Duncan has experienced severe trauma, both mentally and physically, and requires help to get through this. All donations will go toward his recovery program including physiotherapy, counselling, recovery equipment and much more.”

Fraser said, in a Messenger conversation, that Moffat had just finished a seasonal job at the fish plant on Quadra Island.

She added that at this point they don’t know when he will be able to stand again, so it will be a long time before he is able to return to work.

Fraser noted that Moffat will not only require physical therapy, but also counselling because he suffered severe mental trauma while he was trapped for five days.

“We want to make sure he gets the proper help he needs,” she said.

Moffat’s uncle, Bill Macnab, told The Canadian Press that Moffat had been out of touch with the family for almost 10 days, but he believes he was stuck in the truck, which was 12 metres down the side of a cliff, for five days.