Teammates step up to support families after horrific car crash
Zachary McQuaid, a pitcher with the Oshawa 18U elite Legionnaires was one of five people seriously injured in a head-on collision in Clarington on July 26.
By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express
Oshawa’s baseball community was devastated last week when they got the news that one of their own had been in a serious car accident.
Five people were injured in the head-on collision in Clarington on July 26. Zachary McQuaid, a pitcher with the 18U elite Legionaires, was travelling with a family friend at the time of the accident. Himself and the friend’s grandmother were air-lifted to Toronto immediately with serious, life-threatening injuries. A third occupant of their vehicle was taken to a local hospital for treatment before being transferred to Toronto.
As of press time, McQuaid and the others remain in stable condition at Sunnybrook Hospital.
McQuaid’s teammates were quick to come to his aid, with head coach Daryl Macklem starting a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money to aid in the recovery of all those involved in the accident.
“The GoFundMe page is designed to help the families with any financial burden they may experience during this difficult time and to help the victims in any way they need,” reads a news release from the team.
The page raised more than $3,000 in 24 hours. Prior to The Express press deadline $4,270 had been raised
The day after the accident, McQuaid took to Twitter.
“Never have I ever appreciate living or what I have so much then (sic) I do today it’s a blessing to be living,” he wrote.
The young pitcher most recently represented Canada during the Sunbelt Classic in Oklahoma, which brings together North American’s best high school baseball players.
The 16-year-old was also selected to be part of the Ontario Youth Team, set to compete in Fort McMurray from Aug. 4 to 6.