‘Our dear son ... went home to be with the Lord,’ Whatcom County Sheriff Elfo posts
William John Elfo, the son of Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo, died Thursday night after a nearly year-long battle to recover from injuries he suffered in a single-car, roll-over crash on Interstate 5 near the Bow Hill exit, Sheriff Elfo posted on Facebook Friday, Nov. 29.
“Our dear son, William John Elfo, went home to be with the Lord and his family in Heaven at 11:47 p.m. on Thanksgiving night,” Sheriff Elfo wrote. “We appreciate all of the prayers, love and support we received from so many since his accident on Dec. 18.”
Sheriff Elfo wrote that both he and his wife were with their son when he passed peacefully at Providence Everett Hospice.
“We take solace in knowing that our merciful God is in control,” Sheriff Elfo wrote. “We will provide more information and thanks in a few days but are going into seclusion for the time being.”
The younger Elfo, who is from Ferndale and was 27 at the time of the crash, was driving a white 2002 Subaru Legacy at approximately 11:22 p.m. Dec. 18 near milepost 240 when the car entered the median, according to the Washington State Patrol release on the incident.
The younger Elfo attempted to drive out and overcorrected, Trooper Heather Axtman told The Bellingham Herald, causing the Subaru to roll over multiple times across lanes one and two.
The car came to rest in the grass between the freeway and the exit, the release said, and the younger Elfo was airlifted from the scene to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
Sheriff Elfo regularly posted about his son’s recovery and setbacks since the crash, and Friday’s post had 459 reactions, 341 comments and 28 shares in the first four hours after it was made.
Though he was originally scheduled to speak at the memorial for Interim Lynden Police Chief Michael Knapp on Nov. 20, Sheriff Elfo was unable to attend so that he could be by his son’s side.
