Ind. Crew That Saved Boy From Dune Establish Fund

July 18, 2013
As the 6-year-old boy rescued from a Sand Dune on the Lake Michigan Shore continues to make progress, his rescuers want continue to help.

July 18--STERLING -- A fund has been established and a benefit is planned for the 6-year-old Sterling boy who was rescued after he was trapped in a sand dune for more than 3 hours Friday.

Nathan Woessner continues to make progress.

The boy was in critical condition Monday at a Chicago hospital but is expected to make a full neurological recovery.

"The doctors and nurses have been amazed with his rapid recovery," his mother, Faith Woessner, wrote on her Facebook page Wednesday morning. "They are going to attempt to wake him up and take him off the ventilator later this morning."

The Woessners and another family from their church were on vacation at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan City, Ind. Some members of the group were climbing the dune known as Mount Baldy when Nathan stepped into a sinkhole around 4:30 p.m. People dug with their hands, then firefighters used excavating equipment to find him and pull him out just after 8 p.m.

The Michigan City firefighters who rescued the boy have set up a fund to collect donations to help the family.

"The Mount Baldy Miracle" fund through the Unity Foundation of La Porte County enables people from anywhere to donate money to offset medical expenses.

Those who want to make a tax-deductible donation should go to uflc.net/funds/the-mount-baldy-miracle/. People may make donations online via credit card or from a checking or savings account.

They also may make donations by sending a check to Unity Foundation of La Porte County, P.O. Box 527, Michigan City, IN 46361.

Rock River Christian Center in Rock Falls, where the Woessners attend church, also is accepting donations, both in general and for an upcoming benefit that will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Aug. 31 at the church, 1800 Prophetstown Road.

It will feature a fun fair, as well as a cookout, bake sale and silent auction.

The church is seeking volunteers to help with kids' games, and donations of baked goods and silent auction items. It also is looking for people who might bring their tractors for a small tractor display, as Nathan loves tractors.

Those who wish to make donations, monetary or otherwise, can call the church at 815-625-4371.

Copyright 2013 - Daily Gazette, Sterling, Ill.

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