CULLMAN — A Cullman High School student injured in an early-morning car crash Tuesday is continuing to recover, while his friends and schoolmates have taken to social media to launch a 21st century prayer chain.
Cullman High School student Andrew Winfrey was airlifted to Huntsville Hospital after his truck crashed into a tree on Mitchell Road, and his father Bo Winfrey said his son is showing signs of improvement.
“The gauge on his brain looks good, and we feel really good about it, but the next 3-4 days will be critical,” Bo said. “The CAT scan this morning showed more bruises and tears on his brain, and if the brain swells, it doesn’t have anywhere to go. He’s got other injuries he’ll need surgery on, but the head part is critical now.”
Bo said swelling on Andrew’s brain has been minimal — a very good sign — but it will still be a few days until doctors know more. For now, Andrew remains in a medically induced coma.
“Just to see him laying there, they can’t believe it in the ICU, because there is no swelling,” Bo said. “It looks like he’s sleeping and just ready to get up. We just ask everyone to keep on praying for him.”
Winfrey, a sophomore, is well-known in the community and is a star football and baseball player for Cullman High School.
An impromptu prayer service for Winfrey was attended by nearly 500 people at Temple Baptist Church in Cullman Wednesday night, and a “#PrayForAndrew” Twitter hashtag has more than 100 posts and retweets, with more added every minute.
Students have even hung a “#PrayForAndrew” banner in the Wallace State coliseum in Hanceville, where the Bearcat basketball team is playing in the regional tournament.
Cullman resident Michael Bentley seemed to encapsulate the mood with a single tweet.
“You really just can't say this enough,” he wrote. “#PrayForAndrew.”
Former Bearcat, and current Alabama Crimson Tide baseball player Ben Moore added: “[Y]ou’re on my mind big dawg. Still praying for you and I love you brother.”
Winfrey’s personal Facebook wall has also been flooded with posts and encouragement.
“Andrew! Stay strong and I am praying for you,” Mary Allison Newman wrote, among dozens of similar notes. “Everyone loves you and we all know you will pull through this!”
A Storify featuring tweets and comments about Andrew are included below:
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