A 20-year-old man is in a medically induced coma at Skyline Medical Center following a rollover crash in Hendersonville.
According to reports, a black Ford Mustang with four people inside was traveling eastbound on East Main Street when it hit a dark blue Lincoln Continental that had just recently pulled onto the road, also headed east. The two-vehicle crash happened before 10 a.m. Saturday.
Colby Whittemore, his girlfriend, and their friend were ejected from the Mustang, according to Whittemore's uncle Gary Lynch. Lynch said Whittemore has a long road to recovery.
"He can't talk. He's got a tube in his mouth. He's still wearing a neck brace. His head is bandaged," he said.
Despite his serious injuries, Lynch said Whittemore is showing small improvements.
"It's nice. It felt really good that he could hear me and that he knew that we were there," he said.
As the investigation continues, Lynch was told Whittemore had his seatbelt on. He said thank you to the community who have wished him well and prayed for a full recovery.
"I know he's loved, but I didn't know that he knew so many people and that so many people would support us you know," he said.
Whittemore graduated from Franklin High School in Indiana but attended Clarksville High School in Tennessee at one point. Whittemore was visiting his grandparents and other family members this weekend in the Hendersonville area. He had planned to return to Indiana on Sunday.
The family has set up a Go Fund Me account for Whittemore to help pay their bills, for travel from Indiana to Tennessee, and for his medical costs.
*NewsChannel 5 does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
