Red Feather Lakes resident Charlie Porter still in ICU

Charles Porter of Red Feather Lakes remains in intensive care at the Medical Center of the Rockies after suffering serious injuries in a one-car accident on Saturday, Jan. 28.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, Porter, 35, was traveling southbound on County Road 73C, Creedmore Lake Road, near Red Feather Lakes Elementary School at about 6:45 p.m. As he drove over a cattle guard, his 1974 Bronco left the road and rolled end-over-end down an embankment several times. The vehicle caught fire and came to rest on the driver’s side facing west, pinning Porter inside. He was wearing his seat belt, but the vehicle was not equipped with airbags.

Porter’s mother, Lee Porter of Livermore, said her son was leaving work at Beaver Meadows Resort Ranch, where he is the maintenance manager. Friends were driving ahead of and behind him at the time of the accident and summoned help. Volunteers from the Red Feather Lakes Fire Department responded, lifted the car off Porter and transported him to the nearby firehouse, where he was treated by Dr. Janice Weixelman before being airlifted to MCR in Loveland.

Porter suffered several broken ribs, bruised lungs, broken bones in his face and jaw and a fractured vertebra as well as other injuries, according to his mother. He has received several units of blood and been deeply sedated since the accident. He was scheduled for surgery Wednesday afternoon.

Porter’s wife, Lorna, also works at Beaver Meadows. They are the parents of two children, Alex, 15, a student at Poudre High School, and Ashleigh, 3. They have no health insurance.

Linda Weixelman, owner of Beaver Meadows, said she is planning a fundraiser in the next couple of weeks to help the family pay for the extended in-home recovery Porter will require.

“We don’t have a date confirmed yet, but we are coordinating with the Potbelly Restaurant, Shambala Center, Sportsman’s Café and other businesses in Red Feather,” she said. “The Pond Hockey League wants to hold a pay-to-skate Skate Date as well as hockey games throughout the day, followed by a benefit dinner and silent auction. That’s what’s great about the Red Feather community – we all pull together.”

Beaver Meadows is hosting the sixth annual Beaver Cup hockey tournament Feb. 3-5, and Porter was responsible for keeping the seven rinks of ice in top condition, Weixelman said.

“There will be 120 hockey players who will be missing Charlie terribly this weekend,” Weixelman said.

Anyone with items to contribute to the silent auction can contact Weixelman through the Beaver Meadows Facebook page or the website at www.beavermeadows.com. The family also plans to set up an account at Warren Federal Credit Union for cash donations.