A Bristol teen injured in an ATV accident a week ago Monday remains in critical condition, but her family says she is fighting hard.
Clary Bateman, 14, was driving a four wheeler around 4:30 p.m. on Brinkley Lane in Bristol when she failed to stop at a stop sign, entered Hwy. 12 South and crashed into the side of a passing pickup truck. She was taken to Calhoun-Liberty Hospital and later airlifted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
“We’re seeing some improvement, not many, but small,” her mom, Edie Ethridge, told The County Record Monday afternoon. “She’s making small progress. Basically, the doctors just said she’s not going backward, she’s doing something. She’s got a super long way to go, but she’s tough and she’s going to do it. We watch her every day and she’s going to do it. Everything is going to take place in Clary’s time. You couldn’t tell Clary to do anything. She would do it when Clary felt like doing it. Clary will be well in Clary’s time. When she wakes up she’s going to argue with all of us!”
Folks from around the region have been rallying for the Tolar School eighth grader. Her friends in the Liberty County High School band threw a benefit car wash for her Saturday.
“Her dad and I really appreciate all the love, prayers and the concern from the community,” Edie remarked. “We never realized how many lives Clary has touched. Everything that everybody’s doing, we may not get to say it right when it happens, but from the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate everybody in Calhoun, Liberty and surrounding counties. Keep the prayers coming because the prayers are what’s helping Clary.”
