Seth Burke is a teenager with typical teenage dreams. However, in the early morning of April 7, Burke’s plans were drastically changed. He was involved in a near-fatal car accident.
There will be a benefit for Burke on Sunday, July 7 at the Madill Roundup Club Grounds to assist the family with medical bills. Even though the accident was in April, the medical bills are not showing any signs of stopping for Burke and his family.
After his wreck, the teenager spent two months in the hospital and two weeks in rehab. Burke broke his pelvis in at least three places.
The doctors quit counting to focus on getting his oxygen level back to a normal rate. So far, Burke has faced an average of three surgeries per week, bringing his current total to 28. However, he is not done with surgeries, he will have to have three more in the foreseeable future.
The teenager was not able to celebrate his eighteenth birthday like most. His birthday was May 15, smack-dab in the middle of his hospital stay. Family member Karyn Cox said he was able to celebrate a little, because the hospital staff, along with some of his family members, threw him a party.
Cox said he is doing better. He has to wear a back brace because he has four compression fractures. He has an open wound the size of a fist. A home health nurse comes out three days a week to change the dressings. Cox changes the dressings on the other days. Burke has a skin graph on his left thigh, from his knee to bottom of his buttocks. He does not have to completely rely on his wheelchair. He can use a walker, but he gets tired very easy.
Burke also has a IVC filter to keep blood clots from getting to his heart. He has to wear that for at least one more month.
There is no end in sight for the upcoming medical bills. All proceeds will help alleviate the strain on Burke and his family.
The Open Range Cowboy Church Benefit Team Roping will be on July 7. Entries for the team roping opens at 2:00 p.m. and the event begins at 3:00 p.m. It is $25 per man per run. It has a nine point capped at six — meaning, the ropers handicap cannot go over six.
CM Truck Beds donated a truck to be awarded to the Single High Money Earner. There will be a silent auction during the event, and a concession stand will be available. For information about the roping event, contact Kendall Whitehead at (580) 677-5069, and for the silent auction, Leah Hallmark (580) 677-0358.