Father who had leukemia twice now fighting for his life after car crash injures him and son

BLACKFOOT — A Blackfoot family has fought a tough battle the past three years from cancer diagnoses to a severe car accident that recently put the father and son in the hospital.

Autumn Retford told EastIdahoNews.com her partner, Roger Valentin, 42, and their son, Rayce Valentin, 7, were in a car accident April 29. Retford, a waitress at Martha’s Cafe in Blackfoot, was at work, and Roger was on his way to drop Rayce off at their oldest son’s house to be babysat while he went to his job.

“Roger and Rayce came to my work that morning (before the accident),” Retford recalls. “I went out … told them both I loved them. (Roger) seemed fine. I said, ‘I’ll see you guys tonight.’”

As Roger took the south 5th Exit in Pocatello, Retford believes Roger had a seizure. He hit the gas pedal and eventually ended up flipping the car upside down.

The father and son were taken to Portneuf Medical Center where they had their bone flaps removed so doctors could access their brains.

Rayce was lifeflighted after surgery to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. He has brain damage and is wearing a helmet until the swelling goes down and the bone flap can go back in. He is now home recovering but Roger is not.

Roger was flown to the University of Utah Hospital due to a wound on his head that was leaking spinal fluid.

“They thought they had it under control … but he got an infection on his brain,” Retford explained. “They don’t know what the outcome is going to be. He’s very sick with this infection.”

Retford said she feared an accident like this happening due to Roger’s past medical history, but never imagined it actually taking place.

On July 1, 2019, Roger went to the doctor because he had a swollen leg. Two days later, he was told he had leukemia and needed to go immediately to the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah.

“It all happened so fast,” Retford said. “I didn’t believe it at first.”

After completing chemotherapy, he was told he was in remission on Feb. 20, 2020. About three months later, Roger went in for routine blood work and found out the cancer returned.

He did more chemotherapy but doctors said he also needed a bone marrow transplant. Their middle son donated his bone marrow to his dad and the transplant took place in October 2020.

Then in March 2021, to their family’s surprise, Roger began having seizures. He was put on medicine and that seemed to help sometimes.

“He would have a seizure and then wouldn’t have another one for anywhere from a month to three more months,” Retford mentioned. “He had a seizure three days before the wreck.”

Retford hopes her family’s story will serve as a reminder to people who know they have a chance of having a seizure to think twice about driving.

“Hold your family tight because you never know when it’s going to change,” Retford said in tears. “Always let your loved ones know you love them.”

To help the family with unexpected medical and traveling costs to and from Utah, a GoFundMe has been set up. Donations can also be made on Venmo @Autumn-Retford.