Nathan C. Vredevelt, the 16-year-old Gresham boy with Down syndrome who was struck by two cars on Interstate 5 Sunday evening, died Thursday afternoon at Legacy Emanuel’s Children’s Hospital.
Nathan’s family will hold a public memorial service at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at East Hill Church, 701 N. Main St., Gresham. A private family funeral also is planned next week.
Nathan, a sophomore at Gresham High School with Down syndrome, was being treated by a trauma team for severe injuries he suffered Sunday evening, March 1, after he was hit by two cars at about 6:50 p.m. in I-5’s southbound lanes just south of the Interstate 84 interchange.
Nathan suffered several fractures, severe internal organ damage and a closed head injury that required opening a piece of his skull to relieve pressure on his brain.
His death comes a day after Portland Trail Blazer fans donated about $13,000 to help his family cover medical expenses. Fans contributed money before the Trail Blazer-Indiana Pacer NBA game Wednesday night at the Rose Garden.
The boy had wandered onto the highway after leaving the arena where he was watching the Portland Trail Blazers-San Antonio Spurs NBA game with family and friends in an arena executive suite.
The Trail Blazers decided Tuesday to collect money during Wednesday night’s home game against the Indiana Pacers to help Nathan’s family pay his medical bills. The Vredevelt family does not have health insurance.
The Blazers’ employees and friends of the Vredevelt family collected donations at each of the doors before the game. The Blazers also agreed to match the donations up to $10,000, meaning the family will receive more than $23,000.
The Nathan C. Vredevelt Fund also has been set up at Bank of America to collect other donations to help cover medical expenses.
Coach Nate McMillan said the crowd’s generosity was evident from the time the doors opened to the fourth quarter, when the team rallied to win.
“The crowd was in it from the beginning,”
McMillan said.
