Young Whatcom man left ‘speechless’ after community donates more than $20,000 in a week
It’s been a little over a week since Carson Moyes and a Whatcom Public Works coworker were struck by an SUV and the community has already rallied around the 20-year-old Ferndale resident in ways that have left him speechless.
Moyes was cutting grass along the shoulder of Lummi Shore Road Tuesday, July 20, when he was struck and dragged for what he was told was at least 100 feet. Battered and bloodied, he was brought to Bellingham’s St. Joseph hospital, where he spent the next six days. He was released Monday, July 26.
It was during his hospital stay that Moyes’ sister Tiffany created an online fundraiser for him on GoFundMe. In a week, his cause has garnered more than $23,000 in donations.
“That’s one thing I love about being born and raised in Ferndale,” Moyes said. “They always have your back and will always be there for you.”
Moyes was able to warn his co-worker, a 19-year-old man from Lynden, that the car was coming, and he was knocked over the road’s guardrail, rather than dragged by the vehicle, Moyes said. He sustained less serious injuries than Moyes and was released from the hospital within a day, according to previous reporting by The Bellingham Herald.
On top of serious road rash, Moyes has a fractured left ankle and left shoulder, as well as a torn MCL in his left knee. The MCL is a ligament in the knee joint, and Moyes is scheduled for replacement surgery on Tuesday, August 3. His medical bills will be covered in full by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, but the agency will only reimburse him for 60 percent of his salary for the two-to-three months he expects to be out of work recovering. Moyes is expected to make a full recovery.
Having just purchased his own home in Ferndale in November, Moyes was worried about how the accident would impact his ability to pay his bills. But then the donations and words of support began rolling in.
“If you know Carson, you know he is good for a laugh and a smart ass remark. But he has one of the kindest and most caring hearts,” Moyes’ sister wrote in the fundraiser description. “When he’s not working, you can find him swimming, hanging out with his friends, watching movies, or yelling obnoxiously at the TV during a football game.”
The largest contribution so far has been $2,500 from Whatcom County Council Member Tyler Byrd, whose district includes the foothills. “Please let us know if there is anything else you need or that we can we do for you,” Byrd wrote in a public message along with his donation. “Praying for you and your recovery,” another supporter wrote.
Moyes has worked for Whatcom County Public Works since he graduated high school in 2019 and really likes his job, particularly the folks he works with. Moyes was on the brink of earning his commercial driver’s license, which will allow him to operate the county’s dump trucks and semi-trailers, but he’ll have to postpone his test until after his leg heals. He loves Ferndale and can see himself raising a family there.
“I love the sunsets, Mount Baker, the trees, the evergreens,” he said. “It’s a small place, sure, but there’s so much.”
Currently, Moyes is staying in his parents’ Bellingham home and using a walker to get around. It makes him feel like an older person, he said, but he’s trying to stay positive. Already, the cuts on his face have begun to heal and fade. He’s passed the time resting, watching action movies on Netflix and playing cards with his parents.
“It’s making life a little more complicated than it needs to be at this age,” Moyes said. “But what can you do?”
Lio T. Redfox, 28 of Bellingham, was the driver of a 2017 Toyota Highlander that struck Moyes and his co-worker in the 3000 block of Lummi Shore Road at approximately 2:32 p.m. July 20, according to the State Patrol report on the incident.
The Public Works employees were following safety procedures at the time of the incident, had set a work zone and were not in the roadway at the time they were hit, according to a Public Works news release on the incident, which added the department will be doing its own full investigation of the incident.
Redfox was treated at the scene for injuries, the State Patrol report states. The report added that drugs or alcohol were believed to be involved and it was not known if Redfox or the 5- and 10-year old boys who were passengers in Redfox’s Highlander were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. The State Patrol did not report any injuries to the two young passengers, though.
Trooper Rocky Oliphant told The Herald that a blood draw was performed on Redfox, but the results from that draw are still pending and could take several months to return due to a backup at the state lab. Once the results are back, the full report will be forwarded to the Whatcom County Prosecutor’s Office to consider charges.
— David Rasbach, drasbach@bhamherald.com, contributed to this story.
