Support floods in to help families impacted by crash
Osahwa Legionaires' Zachary McQuaid released from hospital faces long road to recovery, coach says
Zachary McQuaid is surrounded by his teammates at the hospital. After a playoff tournament at the end of July, the team made the trip to Toronto to see their start pitcher. Manager Daryl Macklem said the visit helped to lift everyone’s spirits. McQuaid has since been released from hospital.
By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express
Community spirit is shining in the face of a terrible accident.
Following a July 26 head-on collision that sent five to hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries, Oshawa’s baseball community showed just how strong it can be, coming together to raise nearly $5,000 to help in the recovery of those injured.
Zachary McQuaid, an up-and-coming pitcher with the 18U elite Legionaires, was among five seriously injured in the collision on Taunton Road, spending a week in hospital before his release.
The full extent of McQuaid’s injuries and the others involved have not been disclosed, but Legionaires manager Daryl Macklem says everyone is expected make a full recovery, although it may be a long road to get there.
“These people are going to need help, they’re going to need support,” Macklem says.
For that reason, the coach set up a Go Fund Me page to raise funds for those impacted. The page quickly exploded the $1,000 goal, surpassed almost four times in 24 hours.
Prior to The Oshawa Express press deadline, the page had raised $5,245 in 10 days.
“It’s overwhelming,” Macklem says.
“I knew that the baseball community is close, and to see how quickly that account went up, it’s amazing.”
The weekend prior to his release, McQuaid’s teammates travelled to Burlington to compete in the Ontario Eliminations tournament. Winning that tournament would guarantee Oshawa a spot at the national championships.
While the team managed an underdog victory over the favoured London team, a staple at the national championship, they fell short in their other two games, finding themselves eliminated from the tournament.
Following that, the team travelled to Toronto to visit their teammate in hospital and share the good news of their big victory, a result that, according to Macklem, sent “shockwaves” through the tournament.
“It was good to see him,” Macklem adds.
“I think it picked up everyone’s spirits, not just his.”