SAN ANTONIO – A mother who was critically injured in a head-on crash involving a U-Haul truck and a VIAtrans van is having trouble caring for her special-needs son, who was also critically injured and remains hospitalized.
Seven people were injured in the crash on Culebra Road near Loop 410 on May 25.
One of the critically injured victims, Lynda Garcia, was recently released from a hospital. But her 23-year-old son, Jose, has undergone nine surgeries and remains hospitalized.
"He's now unable to speak," said Melissa Ozuna, Lynda Garcia's friend. "He can't eat on his own. So, he suffered many, many issues because of this accident."
Ozuna said Lynda Garcia is her son's primary caregiver. Jose Garcia, who has cerebral palsy, already used a wheelchair before the crash.
"It just makes me very sad to know that you can't do for your child what you want to do because you, yourself, are injured," Ozuna said. "She (Lynda) baked cakes for a living and did a really good job. She's unable to do that anymore because she can't use her left arm, which was badly injured as well."
Ozuna and her friends are hoping they can help Garcia be there for her son.
"We're trying to alleviate a little bit of the financial pressure by all of us coming out and supporting her," Ozuna said.
Garcia's friends and former classmates are hosting a plate sale fundraiser Saturday at the Tin Barn Saloon at 1405 North Colorado St. from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. in hopes of helping the family with its medical expenses.