FORT MILL, S.C. — A Fort Mill family is desperate for support after getting into a life altering crash on Thanksgiving Day.
While traveling through West Virginia, The Tyler family’s car crashed head first into a tree leaving every one in the vehicle in critical condition.
The oldest sibling, Evan, a student at Winthrop University, wasn’t in the car at the time. Evan is now in charge of taking care of his family.
“Obviously the hospital bills, two airlift helicopters,” said Evan. “We [still] still got six surgeries that we have to pay for.”
Evan told NBC Charlotte’s Billie Jean Shaw he got a call from a hospital in West Virginia on Thanksgiving day, informing him that his mom, dad, little sister and little brother were all involved in a crash.
“It happened when my dad was driving and started choking,” Evan said.
At the time, Evan’s dad Michael was eating and blacked out. His mom, Lorraine, tried to grab the wheel, but the car was in cruise control traveling at 70 miles per hour.
Evan’s younger siblings, 14-year-old Hannah and 16-year-old Michael Jr., were sitting in the backseat.
The car slid across the median of a busy highway in West Virginia, missing oncoming traffic, but came to an abrupt halt as the car crashed head-first into a tree.
“My mom is dealing with a lot right now, she has a broken sternum, a fractured tailbone, broken ankle,” Evan said.
Evan said his dad has a broken knee, broken sternum, two broken heels and his bones are completely shattered.
"My little brother sustained the most injuries because he may not have been wearing a seat belt," Evan said. "They had to do open heart surgery on him."
Evan is now living with regret.
“I felt like if I was in the car, I could’ve helped my mom steer or put my arm across my brother and sister.”
Evan has yet to reunite with his family but has been keeping in touch with them through video chats. He’s now left with the difficult task of juggling college classes while handling his family’s affairs.
To raise money, he’s started a GoFundMe Page along with selling apparel with the #TYLERSTRONG, to honor the strength of his parents and siblings.
“We come from a long line of survivors and I just want to be there to help my family.”
