Account opened to support Dad
Moses Lake resident Cary Morlan fishes during a sunny afternoon.
MOSES LAKE — The Morlan family never expected to sit next to Cary Morlan as he lay in a hospital bed.
An outdoors man all his life, 60-year-old Cary rode motorcycles, participated in car races and loved to fly fish. He created a “bucket list” filled with several high-intensity sports he wanted to try out during his lifetime.
MOSES LAKE — The Morlan family never expected to sit next to Cary Morlan as he lay in a hospital bed.
An outdoors man all his life, 60-year-old Cary rode motorcycles, participated in car races and loved to fly fish. He created a “bucket list” filled with several high-intensity sports he wanted to try out during his lifetime.
“My dad is the kind of person everyone goes to for help or advice,” said son Shane Morlan. “He’s the strength of our family.”
While riding a motorcycle near Stratford Road in Moses Lake two weeks ago, Cary hit loose gravel and crashed at the bottom of a ravine. Friends riding alongside him during the accident rushed to Cary’s side and stabilized him at the scene before an ambulance transported him to Samaritan Healthcare.
Besides suffering from cuts, scrapes and a large gash on his leg, the Morlans were told Cary had broken several bones. His right and left pelvis were shattered, the left hip was broken, both clavicles were broken, the fifth thoracic vertebra was fractured and his spine was fractured.
Cary was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle the next day for orthopedic surgery. Doctors put plate screws into Cary’s right and left pelvis, pinned his left hip and fused together his broken vertebra with a rod.
“The doctors told us that because of the nature of the accident and the trauma, my dad’s liver and kidneys are failing,” Shane said. “He is on dialysis and we are waiting for that to kick in. If it does, he will survive and be able to walk again.”
Shane, his brother Eric and mom Margaret have never left Cary’s side since he was admitted to the hospital almost three weeks ago.
“This has been very tough, but we’ve been strong,” Shane said. “My mom suffers from multiple sclerosis and my dad always takes care of her, so the tables have turned. This is probably the hardest time in my mom’s life but she is stronger than ever and has been a major support system for my dad.”
Shane created a Facebook group and consistently posts updates on Cary’s condition. The group is called, “The Cary Morlan Support Group” and already has 198 followers.
“I love to go and read the comments people post out loud to my dad, even though he might not hear it,” Shane said.
Cary is in critical care so hospital staff can monitor his liver and kidneys. He hasn’t been responsive since he came out of surgery a few days ago.
“It’s been really difficult to watch because I know there’s things he wants to do with his life,” Shane said. “I remember when he was sedated from surgery on Monday, he reached up to grab my hand, even though he was supposed to be unresponsive. I was surprised to look down and see him try to kick his leg off the bed so he could get up. I told him this was his chance to rest and take it easy.”
Cary was born in Moses Lake and retired from the Moses Lake Post Office after working for 35 years. He is involved in several groups and has driven a school bus for the Moses Lake School District for three years.
“He told me being a bus driver is the best job he’s ever had,” Shane said. “He said he enjoys the people and the kids so much and if he could do it over again, he’d be a bus driver from day one.”
Many people from Cary’s groups have driven from Moses Lake to Seattle to visit Cary.
“So many people throughout the community have been stopping by the hospital or coming up to me to ask about my dad’s condition when I drive back to Moses Lake to check on the house,” Shane said. “The community has just been amazing.”
The family expects to hear the final word on Cary’s condition in two weeks. If Cary recovers, he will be wheelchair-bound for three months and must be brought to a care facility.
Many community members have stepped forward to offer financial assistance to the Morlans. The facility cost is about $200 each day and airlift medical bills are expected to total as much as $60,000.
There is a benefit account set up at Key Bank called the Cary Morlan Medical Benefit Account. Anyone interested in helping the family can go to any Key Bank they wish to donate money.
The Key Bank in Moses Lake is located at 314 E. Third Ave.
For more information, call 509-765-4888.
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