Pringle Family Support Fund

Dave (age 35) was in a life-altering car accident while on his way to pick up his son, Ronan, on February 28, 2020. Police were about to close the road because of the weather conditions when the accident happened. Due to the severity of the accident, emergency responders were not expecting to find Dave alive at the scene. Through some miracle, he was. However, he was badly injured and trapped in his car. Fire fighters worked for an hour to remove him from the vehicle. Once removed, a helicopter flew him directly to Sunnybrook Hospital where he was admitted and remains in critical care.

Dave's left leg is badly damaged and will require several more surgeries to repair. He broke his femur (since repaired through surgery), and his tibia and fibia were broken in several spots (surgeries are ongoing). His knee was "blown out" and is now being held together with wire. His ankle is badly damaged as well. There is a serious and ongoing risk of infection in his leg which may to lead to amputation.

He has two fractured discs in his neck which are being monitored and he is in a neck brace. Dave requires a vertical CT; however, this cannot be done right now because he cannot put weight on his leg to stand up. Doctors are working on a plan of action.

He has a bruised spleen which is expected to heal. He had glass removed from his eyes; and his eyesight is intact. There has, thankfully, not been any indication of damage to his head/brain.

As things are, we know that he will need more surgeries this week, next week, and 3 months from now. It will be at least 3 months before he can put weight on his leg. It will be 3-6 months of rehabilitation, part of which we understand will be in-patient rehab, and 9-12 months before returning to modified duties at work.

This is a major trauma not only for Dave, but also his family: Katie (wife), Ronan (son, age 12), Angus (son, age 4), and Eloise (daughter, age 1). We know that there will be physical and emotional strain on Dave and his family for the foreseeable future. Katie is already trying to manage being with Dave at the hospital in Toronto, but also ensuring normalcy for their younger children, Angus and Eloise, who are in London, ON. Ronan, Dave’s eldest child, is back and forth to the hospital while continuing with school. Katie will have to take time off work to help care for Dave, which means that their income will be reduced.


Insurance and benefits will cover a certain percentage of Dave’s needs, but it is not 100% and it is not immediate. Right now, extra costs are for travel, parking, and food. Other foreseeable costs include accommodations and child care. Long term, the family will need to supplement lost and reduced income, medical equipment, medicine and pain management, ongoing doctor and specialist appointments, and rehabilitation costs.

I want to ensure that this tragedy does not negatively affect their lives any more than it has to by alleviating the extra financial burden that will inevitably accompany this life changing situation.

My hope is for Dave and his family to be able to focus on what is truly important in life--each other. Please help me achieve this goal. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.