ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
New information has been released about the survivors of the plane crash that killed two St. Louis University High School students and one of their fathers. Crash survivor, Don Beckerle, is aware that anyone who has anything to do with SLUH, and really all of St. Louis, are hanging on news of his son's recovery. The latest: Josh Beckerle is still in a coma, but there are signs he's getting better.
"It was a miracle," said Don Beckerle, a Eureka Alderman, of his survival, along with that of his son, Joshua, 15.
He said Joshua's condition had stabilized at a Springfield, MO, hospital; though he was still clinically in a coma, heavily sedated. He said there were signs Joshua was getting better: he'd begun breathing on his own, partly, and might be totally breathing on his own by the end of the week.
Don Beckerle said his son suffered facial and internal injuries along with severe head trauma. The head injuries were of greatest concern. Don Beckerle said there did not appear to be a great deal of brain swelling, which was a good sign.
"We were fishing, we stayed at a cabin right there on the White River," he said of the trip.
Don and Joshua Beckerle, Joshua's classmates, Jacob Ritz, 15, Brendan Langford,15, and Langford's father, Warren "Rocky" Langford, 52, had spent a few days together fishing and floating in Arkansas.
"Rocky" Langford, a pilot, had flown the group down there. They had so much fun, they planned on making it a yearly trip. They were headed home Friday, when the plane went down.
"The boys had a great time, doing what they loved to do," he said. "We really did have a good time. It was a laid back couple of days. It was surreal what ended up happening. But it was a great week."
Don Beckerle was among those attending the visitation for Ritz, Monday. Funeral arrangements for Langford's were still pending. Don Beckerle went back to son's side Monday night.
"We don't know how long it's going to be," he said. "That's the hard part. We go in and see Josh and while we hear good news about how he's progressing, his eyes are still closed...while we're concerned and horrified we're at the same time optimistic that with patience and time, he's going to pull through."
He said he preferred to focus on memories of the trip as opposed to the flight home.
"My last visual of the boys and Rocky that I go through my head every day is not what I want to remember and I'll leave it at that...but I do relive it, many times daily...I'm not in aeronautics. I have no idea what happened. I know we went up and we came down. When we came down it wasn't pretty...I was walking around trying to talk to the victims, trying to get Josh to stay still until the paramedics got there. People were trying to get me to sit down. I said, 'I can't, that's my son'."
He said the outpouring of love of concern had been critical for all those involved. Until Fox 2 informed him, he was unaware new St. Louis Archbishop, Robert Carlson, was grieving half way around the world.
He was at the Vatican being honored by the Pope Benedict. He told Fox 2 by phone, the crash victims weighed heavily on his mind.
"There was some sadness there with the plane crash," Archbishop Carlson said. "I had mass for everybody at St. Peters. We're keeping those young people and their families in mind."
"My wife and I are deeply moved by all the support that we've gotten," Beckerle said, especially the support of the other boys' families.
"They care so much and are worried so sick about Josh, even in their time of grief," Don Beckerle said. "That's what they want. They want something to grab onto, [to say] 'hey, Josh is going to make it out of this'...it's just been wonderful. I don't know if we could get through it without that kind of love and support."
He said Josh was expected to be well enough for surgery for some of his facial injuries this week; after that, doctors hoped to bring him out of his coma; then they'd be able to assess the extent of his head injuries.
"It was a miracle," said Don Beckerle, a Eureka Alderman, of his survival, along with that of his son, Joshua, 15.
He said Joshua's condition had stabilized at a Springfield, MO, hospital; though he was still clinically in a coma, heavily sedated. He said there were signs Joshua was getting better: he'd begun breathing on his own, partly, and might be totally breathing on his own by the end of the week.
Don Beckerle said his son suffered facial and internal injuries along with severe head trauma. The head injuries were of greatest concern. Don Beckerle said there did not appear to be a great deal of brain swelling, which was a good sign.
"We were fishing, we stayed at a cabin right there on the White River," he said of the trip.
Don and Joshua Beckerle, Joshua's classmates, Jacob Ritz, 15, Brendan Langford,15, and Langford's father, Warren "Rocky" Langford, 52, had spent a few days together fishing and floating in Arkansas.
"Rocky" Langford, a pilot, had flown the group down there. They had so much fun, they planned on making it a yearly trip. They were headed home Friday, when the plane went down.
"The boys had a great time, doing what they loved to do," he said. "We really did have a good time. It was a laid back couple of days. It was surreal what ended up happening. But it was a great week."
Don Beckerle was among those attending the visitation for Ritz, Monday. Funeral arrangements for Langford's were still pending. Don Beckerle went back to son's side Monday night.
"We don't know how long it's going to be," he said. "That's the hard part. We go in and see Josh and while we hear good news about how he's progressing, his eyes are still closed...while we're concerned and horrified we're at the same time optimistic that with patience and time, he's going to pull through."
He said he preferred to focus on memories of the trip as opposed to the flight home.
"My last visual of the boys and Rocky that I go through my head every day is not what I want to remember and I'll leave it at that...but I do relive it, many times daily...I'm not in aeronautics. I have no idea what happened. I know we went up and we came down. When we came down it wasn't pretty...I was walking around trying to talk to the victims, trying to get Josh to stay still until the paramedics got there. People were trying to get me to sit down. I said, 'I can't, that's my son'."
He said the outpouring of love of concern had been critical for all those involved. Until Fox 2 informed him, he was unaware new St. Louis Archbishop, Robert Carlson, was grieving half way around the world.
He was at the Vatican being honored by the Pope Benedict. He told Fox 2 by phone, the crash victims weighed heavily on his mind.
"There was some sadness there with the plane crash," Archbishop Carlson said. "I had mass for everybody at St. Peters. We're keeping those young people and their families in mind."
"My wife and I are deeply moved by all the support that we've gotten," Beckerle said, especially the support of the other boys' families.
"They care so much and are worried so sick about Josh, even in their time of grief," Don Beckerle said. "That's what they want. They want something to grab onto, [to say] 'hey, Josh is going to make it out of this'...it's just been wonderful. I don't know if we could get through it without that kind of love and support."
He said Josh was expected to be well enough for surgery for some of his facial injuries this week; after that, doctors hoped to bring him out of his coma; then they'd be able to assess the extent of his head injuries.
