Johnston Teen Slowly Being Awoken From Coma After ATV Crash: Report

JOHNSTON, RI — The Johnston teen who suffered serious brain and spinal injuries in an ATV crash earlier this month is slowly being awoken from his medically induced coma, according to WPRI.

Tyler Fortin, 16, has been hospitalized since the accident, which occurred on Feb. 10 when he lost control of his ATV due to a flat tire before slamming into a utility pole, according to a GoFundMe page created to help pay for his medical expenses.

Now, after weeks of sedation, Doctors have slowly started to wake Fortin up from the coma, with his parents Michelle and Joseph Fortin telling WPRI that it's going well so far.

But the road has been tough for Fortin and his family.

"[Tyler] had a drain put in from his brain to reduce swelling, broken facial bones, broken arm and collar bone, laceration on his lung, fractured jaw and spine," according to the GoFundMe's description.

He underwent surgery on his arm, clavicle, and jaw on Feb. 16, after which he suffered complications with his ventilator tube and had to be rushed back to the operating room.

The ventilator tube in Fortin's nose was replaced with a breathing tube in his neck, and another surgery looms to rewire his jaw back shut again.

"Right now, there’s still a lot of unknowns," the GoFundMe continued. " ... If you know the Fortin family, you know they would never ask for anything and work hard for everything they have. With all the medical expenses already endured and so many more to come and having to take time out of work, let’s try to ease the stress of these bills for them during this traumatic time."

As of Tuesday afternoon, the campaign has raised around $13,700 of its $20,000 goal.