Community rallies for shooting victim
PETROLIA — Motorcycle riders helped raise money Saturday for the victim of a local shooting.
Heath Schrecengost, 27, of Karns City was shot in September inside the Millerstown Inn in Chicora. He was there celebrating his girlfriend's birthday and did not know or interact with the accused shooter before the incident, according to family and friends.
The fundraiser was to help pay medical costs, according to Wendy Taylor, Schrecengost's cousin.
Taylor said the idea for the event came from a family friend, Chastity Wissinger. The ride was followed by a dinner, Chinese auctions and big-ticket auctions at the Beer Garden in Petrolia. There were also 50-50 tickets and T-shirts for sale.
“Everything, even the food was donated,” Taylor said. “The whole bar is full of baskets and the whole banquet room is full of big-ticket items.”
Taylor said Schrecengost was released from the hospital last week and made an appearance later that evening.
“He's a walking miracle,” she said. “He's way better than what anybody ever imagined.”
While Schrecengost's recovery so far has been better than expected, he still has a long way to go, according to his mother, Janet Rodgers.
“He's weak, and he can't go long distances walking, but in time he's improving,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers said she felt enveloped in the community support. She said she is also thankful to the first responders, state troopers, her son's therapists helping him recover and those who were there that night who made saving his life possible.
“It's just an unfortunate thing that happened to him for no reason, but it's just great how people are helping him out,” Rodgers said. “I just don't have the words to thank people enough.”
Taylor said the community is known for its support.“A lot of people in a lot of different ways pulled together with their own ideas,” she said. “In this community, everybody pulls together.”Schrecengost's family is also planning it own show of support to the community that is helping them through a blood drive at the Petrolia Volunteer Fire Department.That drive will be conducted by Vitalant, formerly Central Blood Bank, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Petrolia Social Hall, 200 Argyle St.“Heath was given 25 units of blood in the first 24 hours, and then a lot afterward,” Taylor said. “The family has been a part of the Petrolia Fire Hall for many years, so they wanted to do something like that to help replenish the blood that he was given.”Rodgers said the family has been keeping Schrecengost informed about all the efforts.“We've been keeping him updated, and we've been posting his updates on Facebook the whole time. We've been letting him know everything everybody's doing,” she said. “He's just so thankful. So thankful.”
