Dad from Philippines critically injured in collision at MLK/Graham + How you can help – UPDATED
Photo from Ronacin's GoFundMe page.
UPDATE 1/22: Family reports on his GoFundMe page that Ronacin died Saturday evening after more than a week in Intensive Care:
Today has been by far the most hardest day for us. Ronacin passed away this evening at 7:50 pm along side him was our whole family and some close friends. No more suffering. We will really miss your smiling face. Your time with us here in Seattle wasn't very long. I know you are in a much better place. Rest in peace kuya. We love you so much. We will make sure all your children are taken care of. We will try our best to be able to bring you home to the Philippines so your children can see you one last time.
Our deepest condolences go to his friends and family.
The crowdfunding page is still up and running, but now funds will go to help with funeral costs.
Original Story:
Photo from Ronacin's GoFundMe page.
Ronacin is fighting for his life in the hospital days after a collision in Rainier Valley that left him critically injured.
Ronacin was biking on S Graham Street from his first job at McDonald's to his second job at UW when he collided with someone driving a Toyota Rav4 SUV shortly after 3 p.m. Friday, according to Seattle Police and a crowdfunding page set up to help with medical expenses. Medics transported him to Harborview in critical condition with life-threatening injuries.
As of the most current update he is showing some responses, but doctors are keeping him in an induced coma. He has a long way to go.
Ronacin moved to Seattle from the Philippines in August. His wife died around the time of the terrible 2013 Typhoon Yolanda (A.K.A. "Haiyan"), and his grandmother is raising his five kids while he sends support from his work in Seattle, according to updates on the GoFundMe page.
We were over #BeaconHill at 3600 S Graham St #Seattle as @SeattlePD investigated earlier car vs bicycle. Adult male transported critical pic.twitter.com/6evqi2yG3g
- Chopper 7 (@kiro7chopper) January 14, 2017
The person driving was not impaired and was released pending further investigation, according to police. The person driving was headed westbound on S Graham Street when the collision occurred in the block just west of MLK. No further detail were released at this time as the department's traffic collision team is still investigating.
We send our best wishes to Ronacin and his family and friends.
Ronacin does not yet have health insurance because he was in UW's probation period. More details from the GoFundMe page:
It seems as if it was yesterday I asked all of you for help.I need prayers for my brother Ronacin who just arrived from the Philippines in August. Today, Friday, January 13th, He was hit while on his bike at around [3] pm on MLK and Graham St. He was thrown from his bike and didn't have a helmet on and his head hit the pavement. He is in critical condition right now. He has an extensive blood clot on the right side of his brain, and a fractured spine. They will be bringing him to surgery now. He was leaving McDonald's (his first job) to go home and change to get to his 2nd job at the UW. Unfortunately he never made it home. I got a phone call from one of his coworkers who told me what happened so I rushed to Harborview. Ronacin came here for a better life to provide for his 5 kids in the Philippines. The mother of his children passed away during the time of the Yolanda typhoon. So his grandmother who is 84 years old, is the one taking care of his children. He worked 2 jobs with only a 15 minutes gap in between to get to the next. He has no health insurance because he is still in the probation period at his job at UW. Any little amount helps. Money donated will be used to help pay any medical expenses and support sent to his children in the Philippines. I pray his surgery goes well. Thanks for taking the time to read. Anything small or big will help.