The three children peeked around the door, their little faces marked with excitement and apprehension.
Their mother had been asleep for a long time, hurt in a car accident just after Christmas. But now she was awake and ready for some much-needed hugs.
Tabitha Wilder awakened from a month-long coma in late January and was just strong enough last week to see her four children Ivan, 7, Brian Jr., 4, Mychal, 3, and Haylei, 10 months.
Wilder was critically injured Dec. 27 when Matthew DiBease, 27, of Geneva-on-the-Lake, went left of center into the eastbound lane of Route 84, and struck Wilder’s vehicle head on, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol reports.
OHP Sgt. Jared Sutton said DiBease was “impaired” at the time of the crash. Drugs — either prescription drugs or otherwise — are suspected, Sutton said.
Wilder’s journey to recovery includes several surgeries, family member Margaret Emrisko said, and she will remain at Cleveland MetroHealth Medical Center for at least four more months and will endure intense physical therapy. Wilder was moved from the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital last week.
“Tabitha still doesn’t remember a lot,” Emrisko said. “She doesn’t remember anything about the crash. She still has the breathing machine, so she can’t speak well, but she tries.”
Emrisko said the children are, “trying hard to understand what is going on with Mommy.”
“The kids have suffered so much in this,” she said. “They don’t understand that the doctors can’t just put a (bandage) on it and make Mommy all better.”
Wilder and her boyfriend, Brian Emrisko, both worked opposite shifts at local Wendy’s restaurants to pay the bills. Now the family is working together to keep the couple’s apartment and bills paid.
Donations to benefit Wilder and her children can be made at any First Merit Bank branch to the “Tabitha Wilder Benevolent Fund.”
Donations of grocery store gift cards and nonperishable food items can be made at St. Joseph Calasanctius Church, 32 E. Jefferson St., Jefferson, 44077. Donations can be left in the rectory 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
“The gift cards are so, so appreciated,” Emerisko said. “They just help out so much.”
Donations can also be made at the Geneva and Ashtabula Wendy’s restaurants.
Local News
Related Photos
Discussion
Fighting for her life
Victim out of ICU, able to see her kids
- Local News
-
-
New film showcases county’s scenic rivers
Ohio’s Scenic Rivers program, which protects stretches of 14 waterways — including three in Ashtabula County — is the focus of a new movie by a Dayton-based independent filmmaker.
-
Red Cross holding breakfast for ‘Community Heroes’
The Red Cross Community Heroes Breakfast will honor 12 county residents March 3 at the Bernard Vacca Community Center.
-
County’s 2-1-1 even helps birds get home
Even the birds depend upon Ashtabula County 2-1-1 when they get into a bind.
-
Need for jobs tops county survey
Unemployment tops the list of community needs identified in a survey conducted late last year by the Ashtabula County Community Action Agency.
-
Students can donate clothing to Goodwill
Many Ashtabula Area City Schools students will find themselves cleaning out their closets this week.
-
5 homeless
Five people were left homeless Monday afternoon as fire ripped through a two story home at 1861 Footville Richmond Road.
-
2 meth labs in 1 home
Acting on a tip, police found two working methamphetamine labs under one roof in an early Sunday morning raid at a Main Street house, said Police Chief Charles Burlingham.
-
More money woes for the Lake County sheriff
The Lake County Sheriff’s Officecut another five cars from its road patrol division last week.
-
Scamming for puppies
Pat Payment doesn’t have any puppies.
-
Consultants to assess contaminated land
A consulting firm hired by the city to assess unused commercial and industrial land is fairly confident a study of the contaminated Astatic property can be properly completed, City Council learned at Monday’s work session.
- More Local News Headlines
-
New film showcases county’s scenic rivers
