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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

This teen was critically injured in the Amtrak derailment. Here’s what’s next for him.

Cars from an Amtrak train lay spilled onto Interstate 5 below as some remain on the tracks above Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
By Lisa Pemberton Olympian

Sixteen-year-old Timmy Brodigan, who was critically injured in the Dec. 18 Amtrak derailment near DuPont, was flown to Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado, on Thursday morning, according to KOMO News.

“They offer more to Timmy as for facilities, and actually being around kids his age who have spinal cord injuries at different stages of their improvement and recovery,” Timmy’s father, Michael Brodigan, told the Seattle news station.

The crash killed three people and injured 62 others. Investigators say the train was traveling 79 mph as it approached a curve above Interstate 5 where the speed limit was 30 mph. The engineer may have lost track of where he was on the route, investigators say.

Brodigan is the only person still to be hospitalized from the crash, KING-5 News reported.

On Tuesday, crews with the Tumwater Fire Department who helped rescue the teen after the crash got a chance to visit him at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

An update posted Thursday on the GoFundMe page “Help Timmy after train crash” states that Brodigan has feeling in his legs, but no movement. He’s also missing mobility in his left arm.

“We truly believe he’s in the best hands in the nation,” the post stated. “Timmy has a long road of recovery ahead, so your continued prayers and thoughts are certainly needed at this time.”