Restaurant, community donate to 15-year-old hit-and-run victim
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IDAHO FALLS — A teen hit by a pickup truck while leaving work in August received a donation from the community last week.
Keeton Doggett, 15, received a check for an undisclosed amount of money from “Arctic Cares,” the non-profit branch of the restaurant chain Arctic Circle, his employer.
The donation, however, was not all from the company itself. It included an accumulation of donations from Arctic Circle customers.
“When people come, we ask if they want to donate,” said Isabel Santiago, general manager for the Arctic Circle where Keeton works. “That money goes back to our community.”
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Santiago says they were shocked when they found out about the crash. She says they were so busy that night they were oblivious to what had happened. She decided to take action to help out one of their own.
“I felt like we needed to do something for him,” said Santiago. “I spoke with the corporate office, they came up from Utah and handed him a donation.”
This money will help with Keeton’s medical treatment.
He was taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for surgery.
“The truck tires caused all of his internal organs — colon, stomach, intestines, everything — to be pushed up into the diaphragm causing it to split in half,” Clint Risenmay, Keeton’s uncle, told EastIdahoNews.com in a previous interview. “His pelvis is broken in four places.”
The owners of the pickup have been identified. The crash is still under investigation. The Bonneville County Sheriffs Office has received numerous tips from the Crime Stoppers number as well as emails sent in. Deputies say they hope to have the investigation finished within the next few days.
The support for Keeton continues as Arctic Circle will hold a special fundraiser Thursday at its location on 2535 First Street. Fifty percent of all proceeds at the restaurant that day will be donated to Keeton and his family.
“The entire Arctic Circle family welcomes the community to come out and help support this wonderful young man and his family,” said store owner Scott Birkinbin. “Thank you in advance, and we hope to see you there.”