Kids & Family
Family Of Girl Struck By Car In Front Of OCHS Asking For Help
The family of an Oak Creek High School student who was hit by a car in front of the school is asking for your help. Here's how:
OAK CREEK, WI -- The family of an Oak Creek High School student that was struck and seriously injured in a Sep. 2018 accident in front of school is asking for the public's help.
The family of Lily Putnam says they are trying to raise money to help pay for a specialized van to transport her daughter places, including to and from school. The Putnam family says Lily suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of the accident, which has confined her to a wheelchair.
"We currently transport Lily in our vehicles but this requires us to transfer her from her wheelchair to the seat in the car. This does cause some stress for Lily. We want to get a van that we can wheel her in and out of for all transports," Jesse Putnam wrote in a Go Fund Me campaign to help her.
Find out what's happening in Oak Creekfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in Oak Creekfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"We are not asking for all of it but any little bit helps. I understand this is a lot to ask for and we are very thankful for anything you can do," he wrote. The van costs an estimated $30,000 the family says.
"We Are In Pain Today"
According to reports in Sep. 2018, Lily was one of two students who were in the area of Puetz Road and South Mayhew Drive at about 7:10 a.m. when the driver of a vehicle struck them. The intersection is directly south from the high school's parking lot.
"Words fail us at times like these, please join us in filling our hearts--with hope, or prayer, or quiet reflection--for these students on this a most difficult and painful day," Assistant Superintendent of Schools Dan Unertl said after the accident.
Safeguards Planned
School and city officials are working to approve a $50,000 plan to revamp traffic patterns in the area to make the area outside Oak Creek High School safer for all.v
According to Oak Creek-Franklin school officials, since news of the accident, the city has been evaluating and vetting potential updates to Puetz Road that would enhance the safety of all pedestrians crossing North to South or South to North along Puetz Road.
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