Helping a classmate

Permian High students are banding together to help a junior classmate who's a coma after a four-wheeler accident during spring break.

Kristy Crenshaw said through an e-mail that Carissa, her 16-year-old daughter, struck a telephone pole while riding a four-wheeler on March 19 in Ruidoso, N.M.

"They were going down a hill, and Alexis (Fulton's friend) kept telling Carissa to turn. For some unknown reason, Carissa didn't turn," Crenshaw said in the e-mail. "The first thing she hit was a protective barrier pole that surrounds the telephone pole - Carissa continued and just drove straight into the telephone pole."

Scott Fulton, Carissa's father, said his daughter is currently in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit at the University of New Mexico hospital in Albuquerque.

"The doctors have had her sedated the last couple of days," Fulton said. "They took her off the sedation medication that keeps her blood pressure down, and they're going to see how she responds. She woke up for a second on Tuesday and looked around but then went back into a coma."

Meanwhile, Angelo Love, Fulton's U.S. history teacher, said Permian students have poured in to help out Carissa.

"All the kids are just donating and giving from the heart," Love said. "I don't even know how much we've raised so far, but I know it's a very big amount."

Love said the students have responded so well because Fulton was "well liked and very social."

Kelli Waner, Fulton's great aunt, said there has also been an account set up at Complex Community Credit Union, 4900 E. 52nd St., to help pay for medical bills.

Crenshaw said in a phone interview that the money is needed because both parents will miss work while being by their daughter's side.

"It's going to help us with a lot of things," she said. "We're going to be missing a lot of work so it's very nice knowing that we don't have to worry about missing a paycheck and can focus on Carissa."

Crensaw said the family is facing a lot of uncertainty.

"We're looking at months and months of unknown," she said. "I'm not sure how long we'll be here."

Waner said the entire family has working to stay positive since the accident.

"They're really hanging in there and being strong," she said. "They're staying really positive about the whole situation, and I'm going to stay positive also."

WANT TO HELP?

>> Kelli Waner said the "Carissa Fulton Fund" has been set up at Complex Community Credit Union, 4900 E. 52nd St., to help pay for medical bills. The account number is 167927.

>> Also, Angela Love said numerous Permian teachers have donation jars set up in their classrooms. There is also a donation jar placed in the Permian front office.