Georgia 17-year-old recovering in ICU after serious skateboarding accident

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. — A Fayette County 17-year-old is recovering in the intensive care unit at Grady Memorial Hospital after a serious skateboarding accident on Saturday.

Jackson Langford, a senior at McIntosh High School, had to be flown to the hospital on Saturday, according to his mother Karina Langford.

Peachtree City police confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that they responded to the accident off Tivoli Garden Road around 5:45 p.m. It is unclear how the accident happened.

Karina Langford posted an update Monday on Facebook, saying that Jackson is stable but is expected to remain in the ICU for at least another 24-48 hours.

“New update...the trauma surgeon came in and talked with me. Jackson’s scans are still showing changes so they will continue to scan until they are consistent. He will stay in ICU for at least another 24-48 hours. He is not yet out of the woods. He is more responsive to stimuli today...but he doesn’t like opening his eyes today. He got pinched because he didn’t want to wake up. He didn’t like that too much. His face was hilarious. We are trying to treat his headache with ice though that’s difficult as the collar is still on,” she wrote on Facebook. “We are fairly certain that his head hurts. How could it not. But they can’t give him anything that would mask the neuro exams. Rehab will be coming up later today to assess and start developing a plan for when we start rehab. The surgeon did say that kids his age who are strong so recover well but it takes 6-12 months.”

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The Langford family is well-known in their community. Jackson’s father works as a Fayette County teacher and his mother is a local equestrian instructor.

A GoFundMe has been set up by friends of the Langford family to help with medical expenses and other financials. Over $14,300 has been raised so far.

“Jon & I are both speechless and overwhelmed at the support we have received from all of you,” Karina Langford posted on Facebook. “While the funds will certainly be useful, for me it’s more about awareness. I know we can’t force our 17 year olds to make wise decisions. But if Jackson’s story is shared with other ‘invincible’ teens and it saves even one family from going through what we are experiencing (or worse) it’s worth it. So please share with your teens.”

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