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Tag: Tour Bus Crash

  • Tracy Morgan Transferred to Rehab Facility Following Fatal Crash

    Tracy Morgan Transferred to Rehab Facility Following Fatal Crash

    Tracy Morgan was transferred to a rehab facility after spending almost two weeks in a New Jersey hospital following a fatal crash that took the life of his friend and comedy writer James McNair. It was back on June 7th that the tour bus Morgan and McNair, as well as several others, were riding in was hit from behind while traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike. Morgan sustained serious injuries and was listed in critical condition for more than a week. Morgan’s publicist didn’t disclose the name of the rehab facility or where it is located, however he made a statement regarding the stand-up comedian and SNL alum’s medical progress.

    “While he is continuing to show signs of improvement, he still has a long way to go,” the rep said. “He and [his fiance] Megan wanted to publicly express their deepest gratitude to everyone at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital for the unbelievable care and attention they provided him.”

    Nine days after the crash both Tracy Morgan and his assistant Jeff Millea were upgraded from critical to fair condition.There has been no further update about comedian Ardie Fuqua, Jr., who was also in critical condition following the crash.

    The Walmart truck driver accused of causing the fatal crash has been charged with vehicular homicide. Kevin Roper pleaded not guilty and is presently out on bail.

    Earlier this week it was determined by the National Transportation Safety Board that Roper had been speeding at the time he crashed his truck into the tour bus. He was going 65 miles per hour–20 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. He also hadn’t slept in more than 24 hours at the time the crash took place.

    While it’s certainly encouraging news to learn that Tracy Morgan’s condition has improved enough to allow his transfer to a rehab facility, it’s important to remember that James McNair’s family is still grieving. Had Kevin Roper simply obeyed the laws of the road, perhaps neither of these sad situations would have come into play.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Tracy Morgan Still Critical But Improving

    Tracy Morgan Still Critical But Improving

    Tracy Morgan is still in critical condition in a New Jersey hospital following a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike last weekend that took the life of his writer, friend, and fellow comedian James McNair. Morgan broke a leg, a femur, his nose, and several ribs in the crash caused by a tractor trailer driver hitting his tour bus from behind.

    “Today was a better day,” a rep for Tracy Morgan said in a statement to the media on Thursday. “While Tracy remains in critical, but stable, condition, he continues to show signs of improvement. His medical team remains optimistic that his recovery is progressing.”

    The rep also said that Morgan’s fiancee Megan Wollover “remains by his side and is relaying the countless good wishes and prayers that his family, friends and fans have been sending their way. ”

    “In addition, Jeff’s wife asked us to pass along that Jeff has also shown much improvement over the past few days,” Morgan’s rep added. “She is very thankful for the love and support she and their family continue to receive.”

    43-year-old stand-up comedian Ardie Fuqua, Morgan’s assistant Jeff Millea, and comic Harris Stanton were also injured in the crash. Stanton was treated and released while Fuqua and Millea remain hospitalized.

    James McNair–often known as Jimmy Mack or Uncle Jimmy Mack–was laid to rest on Thursday. He was honored at a memorial service held at the Paramount Theater in Peekskill, New York. During the service fellow comics called McNair’s teenage daughter to the stage. Danita McNair is about to graduate from high school and her father was trying to put together enough funds for a prom dress for her. The comedians took up an impromptu collection and presented Danita with $500. She was too overcome with emotion to speak. McNair’s son Jamel, however, said the service is exactly what his dad would have wanted.

    “Positivity and unity is what my dad would want everyone to take away from this,” he said afterward. “Love everyone. Say hello to everyone. My dad made sure he said hello to everyone he saw.”

    Tracy Morgan would have wanted to be at James McNair’s funeral so he could have said goodbye to his dear friend. If he is aware that the funeral was Thursday it was no doubt a very difficult day for the former SNL star.

    Even though Tracy Morgan will no doubt spend several more weeks hospitalized it sounds like his survival is a definite and initially even that sounded like it held significant uncertainty. His road to recovery will likely be a slow and painful one, but with the love of his family and good medical care he will persevere and one day make fans laugh again. As the old adage goes, laughter is the best medicine. May it prove so in Tracy Morgan’s healing.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Fatal Tour Bus Crash – Dreams Die Along With Many Teens

    A bus full of students headed to view a college at a remote redwood campus, journeying from the low income section of Los Angeles, and filled with hopeful and young motivated students determined to be the first in their families to go to college, had those dreams shattered when that bus never made it to its destination.

    On Thursday in an explosive freeway collision that left 10 dead that included students, chaperones and both drivers and hospitalized dozens more, dreams and young lives were extinguished for those who didn’t survive.

    While their families and their schools struggle to deal this tragedy, authorities said Friday that they plan to work through the weekend to positively identify the 10 victims, among them five students. Many were unidentifiable, and DNA as well as dental records would need to be accessed and reviewed for positive identifications.

    “The thing that makes this ironic and sad is these are the students California really needs,” Timothy White, chancellor of the California State University system, said at a news conference. “Many of them are first generation [college students] and students from low-income who have done all the right things and who have had their dreams taken away by this accident.”

    The Humbolt Preview Plus program chartered three buses bringing prospective students to tour the Arcata campus, according to university officials.

    The bus held more than 40 students from various Los Angeles-area high schools. They were headed for Humboldt State University, when a FedEx truck plowed into their bus Thursday afternoon, according to the California Highway Patrol, who reached the scene shortly after the 5:30 p.m. accident about 100 miles north of Sacramento.

    Some of the students had already been accepted to the school, others were still deciding if the campus would be the right fit.

    “These were students who were graduating, and … were going to a place that was one of their dreams, so that’s quite painful,” said Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy at a separate news conference.

    Of the survivors, many were injured with critical burns or broken limbs. Those who made it out said they scrambled through a kicked-out window. One man, apparently an admissions counselor, was in flames and later died. Those who could get out – sprinted, others staggered, in a desperate dash to the opposite side of Interstate 5 before the vehicle exploded.

    “We knew we were in major trouble,” said Steven Clavijo, a high school senior from Santa Clarita, who was trying to nap when he felt the bus shake before a loud boom.

    After he escaped, two more explosions followed. Clavijo and other survivors watched helplessly, knowing their peers were trapped in the inferno.

    Los Angeles school officials released a list Friday morning of schools attended by Los Angeles Unified School District students who were aboard the bus that crashed in northern California.

    “The news of last night’s bus crash near Orland continues to grow more grim and heartbreaking today,” said Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction, in an email statement.

    The injured have yet to be reported on, however, many were rushed and airlifted to local hospitals.

    Image via YouTube

  • 55 Injured on Tour Bus Crash in California

    Thursday morning around 10 a.m. a charter bus carrying a slew of people overturned after an abrupt break on the 210 freeway in Irwindale, Ca. The bus was on it’s way to San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in Highland, CA this morning when the charter bus flipped over, putting a dramatic kink in the traffic flow right past the 605 Freeway Interchange.

    Apparently, the bus came to a strong stop which led it to flip. Witnesses said that the bus ventured into the left lane before coming to a hard stop causing the bus to end up flipped a few lanes over to the right.

    Truck driver, Jeff Lewis said he was immediately behind the bus and saw it come to the stop before flipping on its side. Lewis went on to say that moments after the collision, victims fled from the bus, climbing out of the front popped out window,one-by-one. Cars even pulled over to help the victims escape from the toppled over bus.

    Eventually the entire freeway shut down in both directions. It wasn’t until around 11 a.m when the westbound lanes of the freeway were reopened again.

    Regardless of what’s been seen by witnesses, it’s still unclear as to why the bus crashed. Early reports said it was a big rig that the charter bus collided with.

    A local LA television station said the majority of injuries included cuts and bruises. More updates to come.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REtR5ji27k4