Couple recovering from crash injuries
Jenny and Zachary Martin never lost consciousness as a Cadillac piloted by a driver allegedly under the influence of drugs crashed into the side of their car the morning of Sept. 4.
The T-bone collision tore into the passenger side of the Martins' vehicle and pinned the couple inside until first responders arrived on scene of the accident on Route 8 near Airport Road.
The couple was airlifted from the scene with significant injuries, and the husband and wife are on the long, sometimes hard, road to recovery.
They spent more than a week in a Pittsburgh hospital and have been undergoing rehabilitation since their release.
Unable to work and facing a seemingly endless stream of medical bills, friends and family will be holding a benefit dinner for the couple at the Butler Vagabonds on Sunday between 3 and 7 p.m.
“We remember everything. I was looking down Airport Road and next thing I know the world was spinning left to right,” Zachary said Tuesday after a full day of physical therapy with his wife. “We never lost consciousness.”
Zachary continued, “We just prayed and talked to each other and tried to communicate with people outside. It felt like we were in there for hours.”
“I thought I was in there for a year but it's still 2019, so I guess not,” Jenny said.
Same as any other day, Zachary, 29, was driving his wife Jenny, 28, to her job as a music teacher at nearby Penn Christian Academy. As he pulled out from West Airport Road to cross Route 8, according to police, 59-year-old Charles E. Williams allegedly ran a red light on Route 8 and hit the couple's vehicle, as well as a second vehicle owned by The Arc of Butler.Williams later allegedly admitted to authorities he used opioids shortly before the crash. He was charged late last week by a summons issued by District judge Sue Haggerty's court.He faces misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance. He also was charged with traffic violations, including reckless driving.Williams' passenger — 53-year-old Kimberly Werner of Allison Park — also was charged with possession of a controlled substance.
“Praise God all our injuries were all neck down,” Zachary said. “Neither of us sustained major head trauma.”Still, they said they face months of intense medical care, including physical therapy. Among Jenny's myriad injuries, all of her ribs were shattered and detached from her spine. She also suffered partially collapsed lungs, a crushed clavicle and internal bleeding.Zachary said he is facing a possible lifetime of disability. Doctors discovered severe nerve damage to both of his hands, he said, severely affecting power and strength in his left hand.“It's pretty hard to grip things with my left hand. (I will) work on that for the next few weeks,” Zachary said. “My surgeon said I'll be under his care for the next few years. I'm still pretty limited.”The Martins' daily routine revolves around medical visits for physical therapy and other medical needs.“We only have a few hours a day, and then we're pretty beat,” Zachary said. “We can get out to doctor appointments but that's it. If we're out too long, we both get extremely tired.”Zachary said his neck gets stiff and sore very quickly and that the pain often becomes unbearable. He was into motorcycles before the accident, but doesn't know if he will be able to resume that hobby.After their medical routine, the Martins return to their temporary home at Valencia United Methodist Church, where handicap amenities have made their stay easier.For the season, they are creating Christmas boxes filled with goodies for the community.“They've helped us so much, and we want to give them something back. And it helps us pass the time,” Zachary said.In the meantime, the Martins joke about how they are taking recommendations for television shows and movies. Jenny said they have burned through most of the catalog on Netflix — truly a feat.
Part of Sunday's fundraiser will go to support the Martins' daily needs as Zachary's disability pay from his job at MSA in Cranberry Township is running out.Additionally, Jenny's sister, Holly Mead, said her job didn't provide Jenny with disability pay.“They're a young couple, so they don't have much savings,” Mead said. “The community support has been amazing. This couple, if you know them, they're the nicest kids and the last people you would think this would happen to. They never put themselves in danger.”A fundraiser on GoFundMe.com for the couple was set up soon after the crash and has raised more than $25,000, but between medical bills and daily needs that money is “spread thin” according to Mead.“We would like to thank the community,” Jenny said.“It's been so amazing seeing God's people move and being his body,” Zachary said.The Martins said they got married in 2014 and the accident has strengthened their love for each other.The couple has no children.“I love you all the time. I like you most of the time,” Zachary said. “Our faith in God and each other has kept us strong this whole time.”His wife added “We're not out of the clear yet, but we're getting better.”
WHAT: Fundraiser for Zachary and Jenny Martin, the Penn Township couple injured as the result of being T-boned while crossing Route 8 on Sept. 4.WHEN: 3 to 7 p.m. SundayWHERE: Butler Vagabonds, LyndoraWHAT TO EXPECT: Dinner and rafflesCOST: Children under 12, $7; adults, $10; and senior citizens, $9.WHERE TO BUY TICKETS: Butler Vagabonds building (3:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday); Penn Christian Academy; Hill United Presbyterian Church; Emigh Jewelry Co.; Robert Stephens Custom Jewelers; Bobbie's Beauty Shop, 687 Mushrush Road (8:30 a.m. to noon Thursday to Saturday); and Valencia United Methodist Church. A limited number of tickets will also be available at the door.
