Community establishes fund for injured teen

JESSIEVILLE -- A Jessieville youth has spent the last month in a Little Rock hospital after a wreck left him with a severe head injury, and a fund has been set up to help the family with medical expenses.

Hunter Ault, a recent graduate of Jessieville High School, was injured when a truck collided with a tree at around 1:35 p.m. Aug. 1. His father, Greg Ault, said he believes the 18-year-old, who was riding in the truck with his twin brother, Colton, sustained a head injury from a hammer in the back seat.

The boys were going to eat lunch when their truck slipped into a ditch and hit a tree. Greg Ault said speed was not a factor in the crash.

Hunter Ault was taken first to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock then transferred to Baptist Health.

"He's getting a little better each day," his father told The Sentinel-Record. While he said the physicians have not given a definitive timeline for his son's recovery, they have said it could take up to a year.

According to family friend Jim Keary, most of the medical expenses have been covered through insurance and medical assistance programs, but the Ault family will face other expenses. Friends and family have established the Hunter Ault Benefit Fund at US Bank of Hot Springs Village.

Both Hunter and Colton had plans to attend National Park College starting this semester, but Greg Ault said Colton has deferred starting school until his brother heals.

Greg Ault said in the release his son is becoming more responsive, using winks to respond to questions, and believes he is aware his family is with him.

Garland County Circuit Clerk Jeannie Pike said she recently became acquainted with Hunter and Colton Ault, whose family have been longtime friends of her brother.

"Greg worked for my brother and whenever my brother comes to visit, he gets together with Greg," Pike said. "So, I met the family through my brother and personally met these boys several months ago.

"These boys are awesome. They are great football players and both rodeo riders. In fact, they had just gone to ride in rodeos in two different states just shortly before the wreck. They're both 'Yes ma'am. No ma'am' kind of boys."

Pike said she would like to hold some kind of benefit event in the future and is open to ideas from the community on ways to help raise much-needed funds to help the Ault family.

Contributions to the Hunter Ault Benefit Fund may be made to US Bank of Hot Springs Village, 101 Cooper Circle, Hot Springs Village, AR 71909.

Local on 09/08/2018

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