Help Johnnie & Colton Heal After Tragic Accident

It has taken me almost 2 weeks to be able to actually compose this without breaking down yet again, because it has truly been lots of anxiety, tears, pain, surgeries, doctors, anesthesiologists, physical therapists, wound vac care, and honestly just an all-consuming nightmare!

My daughter Johnnie and her husband Colton Dunlap were in a horrific head-on vehicle crash in Johnnie’s 4 Runner last Sun 10/6 in Seeley Lake.

I received a message on my phone at 9:36 pm from Johnnie’s phone telling me:

*Crash Detected SOS*

Johnnie Dunlap's phone has called emergency services from this approximate location after her iPhone detected a crash. You are receiving this message because Johnnie has listed you as an emergency contact.

It then gave me a location notification.

I was immediately frantic and of course called her - no answer. Called Colton - no answer. So I called Patti, Colton’s mom. She answered and was also immediately scared and then terrified when she pulled up on the accident and saw the absolute destruction of the vehicles.

It is my understanding that both Johnnie & Colton were extracted by the jaws of life.

Johnnie came by helicopter and Colton followed by ambulance to St. Pat's hospital in Missoula.

Colton sustained several injuries including a broken sternum, several broken ribs, and a broken ankle/foot. He had a cut through his lip that required several stitches from his teeth and also broke a couple of teeth. He has lots of bruising from the airbags and a serious concussion with some lingering bad headaches and nausea. He was here in the hospital for several nights and then released with a long list of doctor’s appointments to follow up with.

When Johnnie arrived, they found that she had many life-threatening internal injuries and was taken into surgery before Ed & I could even get here.

Her liver was lacerated and was pushed with great force up into and tore her diaphragm and subsequently punctured her lung.

A portion of her intestines were shredded due to impact and 18 inches of her lower intestines had to be removed. There was also extensive damage to the inside tissue of her stomach from hip to hip, so all that tissue had to be removed. Her muscles on her right side were torn away from her core, so those had to be reattached. When she first arrived, they thought she had a compound fracture on her right arm right below her elbow, but it turned out to be a gnarly cut with tendons protruding. So they were able to do surgery on that as well to get them back in and attached properly. She also had a cut on her eyebrow and a seriously huge black eye that has since gone down, but the knot in her head has not and the colors of bruising pretty much cover more of her body than they don’t.

After surgery, she was sedated, intubated, and heavily medicated with drain tubes coming out of every area of her core and her arms possible. She looked absolutely broken, helpless, and so vulnerable…. It was truly a nightmare and so terribly hard to see her so hurt and helpless!

She now has a large wound vac that goes from the breast area to the pubic bone and that has to be changed 3 times a week. It’s absolutely excruciating for her and hard to be here while it’s done!! She will have to go home with the wound vac and continue to have it cleaned and changed out 3 times a week for at least a month in order for that wound to heal.

She is still in the hospital but out of the ICU. She will be here at the hospital approximately another week or so but it will take months for her to recover and get back to a new normal.

Please keep all families involved in this horrible accident in your thoughts and prayers ~ it’s truly every parent’s worst nightmare!!

Seeley Lake friends & residents have been so so supportive and helpful in every way possible ~ it’s actually been so amazing to see how loved Johnnie & Colton are!!

There is a fundraiser in Seeley on Sat Oct 26 that is being run by a friend of the family Christine Matheny.

Also an account has been opened at Citizens Alliance Bank in Seeley.

Or if it’s easier or more convenient you can send to Johnnie's Venmo account.

If by chance you are willing and able to donate to help Johnnie & Colton during this scary uncertain medical crisis we would be forever grateful! Your kindness and support will be used for endless trips back and forth to the Dr. & a home health nurse to come to Seeley 3 times a week to change her wound vac. It will also help with the astronomical medical bills that will follow from so many days in the ICU and the continued hospital stay.

We are not certain when Johnnie will be able to return to work, and Colton is trying to get the rest his body needs.

Thank You~Thank You~Thank You to all of you who have reached out and included all of us in your thoughts and prayers!!

I have no doubt these kids were in God's hands through all of this and all the love, support and prayers have helped them know how loved they are!