'Team Clayton' Out In Full Force

Sunday, September 19, 2010 04:00 AM

Family and friends of Clayton Taylor gather at Rotary Skateboard Park

Prince George, B.C. - It was a beautiful late summer afternoon that saw a sea of white t-shirts at the Rotary Skateboard park yesterday, as approximately 200 people turned out to show their support for 25-year-old Clayton Taylor.

Taylor was seriously injured in a two-vehicle collision nine days ago. RCMP say he was driving a car that was t-boned by a truck travelling at a high rate of speed. The Prince George man bore the brunt of the collision and remains in a coma at Vancouver General Hospital.

Yesterday, family, friends, and supporters donned 'Team Clayton' t-shirts and attended the skate-jam fundraiser.

Joshua Bennett (shown on left, with friend, James Parrish) was one of two passengers travelling with Taylor on the night of the accident. Bennett was in the front passenger's seat and says he still has a sore knee, but suffered minor injuries in comparison to his friend.

"It's good to see so many people come out in support of our good friend," says Bennett. "I feel so horrible for him, he just got over knee surgery and was starting to skate again -- he lives to skate -- and now he won't be able to for a long while."

Bennett designed the t-shirts shown in the photo that were on sale, as part of fundraising efforts.

Two of Taylor's four siblings were at the skatepark. Sister, Rebekah Greenberg, spent the past week in Vancouver at her brother's bedside with her parents, but flew home on Friday. She read a message from her dad, Bill Taylor, to those in attendance.

(Click here to listen to full message) Greenberg says "We are convinced Clayton is in the best place possible, getting the best treatment possible, from the most skilled physicians in B.C. and, for that, we are grateful. Having said that, Clayton needs a miracle."

The Prince George man's injuries are serious and extensive, with the most life-threatening condition at this time, being brain swelling from his head injuries.

The family has a strong faith in God and says they forgive the driver of the truck. Reading further from her dad's note, Greenberg says, "There will be a time for justice, which we leave to the RCMP, who have our trust and our respect." She continues, " There have been so many things said too quickly, too harshly, and some of them have been spoken without full knowledge of the events of Friday (September 10th) night."

A bright spot in the midst of a terrible time for the family was the birth of Eva Mae, Clayton's niece, who arrived on Wednesday and was wearing her 'Team Uncle Clayton' t-shirt yesterday.

Mom, Megan Rolufs, says, "We just want everyone to know how grateful we are for their prayers and the support they've shown to us at this time."

The event was organized in a matter of days by Taylor's long-time friend, Ashlee Painchaud.

"Nobody really knows what to do in this situation," she says. "People can't really go and see him -- it's better for his health just to rest, so I just had to focus some positive energy because that's what you need at a time like this."

Anyone interested in purchasing a t-shirt to support the Taylor family can go to Painchaud's website at www.braand.ca

Photo below shows Clayton Taylor's sisters, Rebekah Greenberg and Megan Rolufs, with their families and neice and nephew, Mailee and Gabe Taylor.