A Calgary man critically injured while on vacation in Arizona on March 13 has been medically evacuated to the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary.
According to family members, Ron Doornbos remains in a coma after a collision in the Phoenix-area community of Fountain Hills that killed his wife, Patti Lou.
The Calgary couple was hit by an SUV while waiting to cross the street. A couple from Iowa was also killed when they were hit by the same SUV.
The family of Patti Lou Doornbos — who went by the name “Lou” — said Ron was transferred to the Foothills on Wednesday. Ron’s sister-in-law said he suffered a broken leg, a broken sternum and a broken jaw, along with several other injuries.
“I would hold his hand and he would hold my hand he was trying to open his eyes. You can tell he’s in there,” said Terri Dutka, one of Lou’s triplet sisters, after visiting Ron in the hospital.
“His neck is broken, so they had to put plates in. His face had to be completely reconstructed and his jaw is wired shut right now. He has a very large gash on his forehead that went down into his eye area.”
Dutka traveled to Arizona to say goodbye to her sister and see the spot where the victims were hit.
“We saw the skid mark where the driver jumped the curb and he went down the sidewalk over 300 feet with no braking, and hit Lou and Ron from behind. It was gruesome. Ron flew 96 feet and Lou was 82 feet.”
Dutka said her family also met with the first responders who tried to help.
“The man who was first with Ron and Lou, he said it was just complete hysteria. People screaming and trying to get help,” Dutka said.
Police in Arizona told the family the 27-year-old driver of the SUV was not impaired, but distracted driving is being investigated as a possible cause.
“They figured he was travelling at 53 miles per hour, not 55. If it had been two miles per hour faster he would’ve been criminally charged, but he’s a free man right now. Which seems ludicrous to me,” Dutka said.
Ron and Lou have been long time volunteers in Calgary’s running community. Ron helped start the annual Harvest Half Marathon in Fish Creek Provincial Park. Now a trust fund has been set up in Ron’s name by fellow runners. Dutka remembers her sister Lou as a person who would drop everything to help someone in need.
“Lou was very kind and giving and belonged to lots of different organizations. She was the director of the Harvest Half Marathon which Ron founded.” She said the couple also belonged to a group called “Cycle Therapy:” a cycling group that raises money for people with brain injuries.
At this point the extent of Ron’s brain injury or vision impairment is not known. Family members haven’t told Ron about his wife yet.
“None of us are saying anything. Because you don’t know how that’s going to affect him. He does respond when there are people around talking so he is in there. Just how much we don’t know.”
A celebration of life is being planned for Patti Lou Doornbos later in April.
WATCH: NBC 12 News in Phoenix, Arizona reporting on the fatal collision in Fountain Hills.
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