It’s still ‘touch and go’ with a long road to recovery for the 26-year-old man who was injured on the job at the Flour Mill silos on Monday.
This, according to two GoFundMe campaigns set up to support Cameron Stone and his family through this difficult time, both of which his family members have shared on their own social media accounts.
Click here for a GoFundMe campaign set up by his cousin, Alora Violet-Marie Kerr, and here for a campaign set up by friend Breanne Ross. As of mid-day today, the campaigns had raised more than $4,000.
“He’s a tough cookie, but it’s going to be a VERY long road to recovery,” Kerr wrote in her campaign’s statement, noting that the funds raised are meant to help with any expenses the family might face.
Stone’s common-law partner, Brittany Sheahan, is currently caring for their infant daughter, Serenity, who was born less than two months ago.
Relaying a message on behalf of the family, Kerr told Sudbury.com that they’ve appreciated the support from everyone interested in helping with Stone’s long road to recovery.
“It's amazing how complete strangers have offered support.”
LiUNA Local 493, of which Stone is a member through his employment at CK Construction Ltd., also has his back, union business manager Mike Ryan said.
The union has already reached out to the family to offer any assistance they might require, and Ryan said they have a comprehensive benefits plan to help him rehabilitate him when he’s ready to do so.
“From what I understand, he was seriously injured and he’s not out of the critical end of it yet, but for falling from 60 feet, he’s very lucky,” Ryan said.
Although Stone received extensive training on the equipment through the union, Ryan said it’s up to the employer to ensure proper procedures are followed on the job site.
At this point, Ryan said that they haven’t gotten word back regarding how the incident took place, but that the full details are likely to emerge through a Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development report.
In emailed correspondence with Sudbury.com, a ministry spokesperson noted that two inspectors and two engineers attended the workspace and issued one requirement to the city and one requirement to CK Construction Inc.
Their investigation is ongoing.
The spokesperson also clarified that requirements “are types of orders issued when an inspector needs together information or determine/verify compliance. Examples include a requirement to provide documents, records or information or to keep employees away from the scene (hold the scene).”
According to Kerr’s GoFundMe for Stone and his family, Stone was working at the Flour Mill silos site on Notre Dame Avenue 60 feet in the air when the cherry picker he was working on toppled while he was harnessed to the basket.
The machine was seen sprawled on its side across the property and onto the sidewalk on Monday, with one of its supporting wheels sunken into a hole in the ground.
Placed in a medically induced coma, Stone suffered swelling on the brain, a shattered hip and pelvis and a broken neck, according to Kerr’s GoFundMe page.
The silos were being worked on in preparation for a 111th anniversary celebration planned for later this year in which a lights display is expected to be projected onto the silos.
“The proposed lighting display work requires the site is cleaned up, with removal of trees and vegetation, repairs and reworking supports for the fencing, repairs and sealing off access to crawl space, and the removal and scaling of loose concrete and bricks at height,” according to a business case for the lighting display approved by city council during 2022 budget deliberations.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
