After deadly firetruck crash, fundraiser aims to help grieving wife and injured firefighter

RAFT RIVER — Days after a rollover crash near Burley that killed one firefighter and injured another, a local woman is organizing a fundraiser on their family’s behalf.

EastIdahoNews.com reported earlier this week that two Raft River Fire District firefighters were involved in a crash on East Yale Road in Raft River on Monday night. Idaho State Police reported that the fire truck they were driving went off the road, but did not specify a reason.

RELATED | Local firefighter dies after firetruck crashes off the road in Cassia County

The firefighters were airlifted to Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, where one died from his injuries. On Thursday, Bannock County Coroner Torey Danner identified the deceased firefighter as 24-year-old Joseph Wyatt Gates of Raft River.

RELATED | Coroner identifies firefighter who died in crash in Cassia County

Officials have not identified the other firefighter or provided details about his condition, but fundraiser organizer Jennie Bateman says his name is Grant Tegan. In a conversation with EastIdahoNews.com on Saturday afternoon, she said Tegan remains in the hospital and is recovering from back surgery.

“He’d had a previous back injury and the accident broke his back. He has feeling in his leg, but he’s not able to move them yet,” Bateman said. “They aren’t sure (at this point whether he’ll walk again). It’s going to be a long road to recovery.”

Bateman has personal connections to each of the men through family members. She says Gates and her daughter-in-law are first cousins and Gates’s wife, Madi, is Tegan’s sister. That connection is what prompted Bateman to help raise funds for their families.

She provided additional information about the crash, saying that Gates and Tegan had been at a fire training that day. On the way home, the lights went out on the truck as they were driving down a hill.

“I don’t know if there was water in the firetruck or not, but it rolled and ejected both of them,” Bateman explained.

While holding back tears, Bateman expressed how difficult the last few days have been. Madi recently had a baby and she’s mourning the loss of her husband while worrying about her brother.

Madi’s mom works at D.L. Evans Bank in Burley and opened an account on Gates and Tegan’s behalf. Bateman got involved in the fundraising effort by launching a GiveSendGo account for the family of Wyatt Gates and another for Tegan. As of Saturday night, Gate’s collected more than $19,000, Tegan’s a bit under $2,500.

Bateman is helping to spread the word so that more people can donate.

Kind words of encouragement are also appreciated.

Bateman expresses gratitude to everyone who has rallied around the family and is asking for the public’s help.

“I just really want Madi to be able to stay home with that baby and not have to go to work or make a rent payment,” Bateman says, crying. “She just needs to be home and take this time to heal.”

“Madi and her family are strong and they have a love for Jesus Christ and I know that’s going to help them. They’ll get through it,” Bateman adds.

Donations to the GiveSendGo for Gates can be made here. Donations for Tegan can be sent here. Any D.L. Evans Bank location is also accepting donations to accounts named “In Memory of Wyatt Gates” and “To Benefit Grant Tegan.”