Last night (January 19), Josh Wharton live streamed a video session on Facebook. Wharton says he runs a nonprofit in the community of Sussex County, Delaware, where Ring of Honor and independent wrestling legend Jamin “Jay Briscoe” Pugh lived, that his family and the Pughs have known each other for two generations, and that he did has been friends with Jamin and his brother Mark for 35 years.
The stream, titled “Community Prayer and Update for the Pugh Family,” was done at the request of the Pughs to update the community and Jamin’s fans around the world about the situation following the Tuesday 12/17 car accident that killed him and killed another driver, leaving his two daughters in the hospital.
According to Wharton, the girls are “stable, but both have a very long road to recovery ahead of them.”
- The Pugh’s eldest daughter was unable to feel anything from the waist down when she arrived at the hospital. “She was diagnosed with an L2 dislocation and an L3 and L4 fracture in her back with compression of her spinal cord.” She was rushed to another hospital for emergency surgery early Wednesday morning, which went well. She has regained feeling in her thighs and had “tingling feet on and off” on Thursday. Overall, their situation was described as “a waiting game”.
- The younger child underwent surgery for an “open tibia and fibula fracture” and now has an external fixation device (aka pins) in his leg. She had a second operation after the medical team discovered she had a perforated bowel. A C7 fracture in her neck, an L3 and L4 fracture in her back, and a fractured rib are all treated non-surgically (with braces and other stabilizing devices).
Both are said to be in great pain – the physical pain is currently being treated medically – and were hoping for a good night’s sleep.
The family continues to ask for prayers and Wharton has set up an online fundraiser to support them going forward. Thanks in large part to four- and five-figure donations from the likes of Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens, Adam Cole, The Young Bucks, Dax Harwood and Jim Cornette, the campaign is already close to its goal of raising $200,000.
Whether you choose to donate or not, please keep the Pughs in your thoughts.