Sierra Lyons & Zach Stanton

As many of you may already know, on November 9, 2023, Sierra Lyons, our son, Zachary Stanton's life partner and the love of his life, was involved in a tragic accident while on her way home from work in Bellingham, WA. Zach and Sierra recently moved to Bellingham so that Sierra could complete her nursing degree.

That afternoon, my husband, Duane and I (Zach's mom), were packing for a weekend trip to Bellingham to attend a long-anticipated concert at the Mt. Baker Theater with Sierra and Zach. Zach had called to discuss dinner plans before the concert and let us know that they were excited about the concert and were looking forward to our visit. Sierra is amazing! She is intelligent, sweet, kind, and courageous, always letting us know how much she appreciated us for making time to be together no matter the distance. After we hung up, Duane and I talked about how happy we were that Zach had found his best friend, Sierra, who truly understood his strengths and weaknesses and how together they always had each other’s back. Zach and Sierra met over four years ago while in the nursing program at Clatsop Community College and we knew from the moment we met Sierra that she was the missing piece of Zach's heart and a tremendous gift to our whole family.

Four hours later, Zach called with the devastating news that Sierra was being transported to a trauma center in Seattle. She had been hit by a vehicle. At that point, all he really knew was that she had a fractured skull and required sedation. By the time we arrived in Seattle the next morning, Sierra was having her second life-saving surgery. As we searched the hospital’s maze of hallways, security checkpoints, and elevators for the ICU waiting room, I could hear Zach’s voice in the distance, moments later I saw reflections of Sierra in the faces of her grieving family.

Sierra is in the Neuro ICU at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. While the full extent of the damage related to her injuries is still unknown, it is difficult to estimate the length of her recovery at this time. Sierra is receiving the best possible care at Seattle’s Level One hospital. Zach will be by Sierra’s side for the next several weeks and will not be able to work during this time. In addition, they have not lived in Washington state long enough to qualify for employer or WA Family Leave benefits. While it is difficult to assess the unexpected costs related to this accident, Sierra’s family and Zach are anticipating the need for temporary housing near the hospital for at least a few months. While no one is ever prepared for a catastrophic medical emergency, Zach will need to maintain their currently leased apartment in Bellingham including utilities, bills, commuting costs, and unexpected expenses. He also requires temporary housing in Seattle at least until they know more information about Sierra’s injuries and recovery.

There are no words to describe the grief that we are experiencing. Later that night as we left the hospital, Zach confided to us that it was rare that they ever spent a night apart. We knew then that Zach would need more help than we as a family could provide. The next morning, I awoke knowing that it is the love of friends, families, and communities especially in Oregon, Montana, and Washington, who together could help Sierra and Zach get through this heartbreaking tragedy. This is an urgent call for action! Please share this with your contacts even if you are currently unable to donate. We believe in miracles!