Texas firefighter responds to head-on collision, discovers victims are wife, son

HUNTSVILLE, TX (KABC) -- When a Texas volunteer firefighter heard a call Saturday for a head-on collision, he had no idea he would soon find be among those trying to save the lives of his wife and young son.

The Department of Public Safety says the victims were in the 2600 block of FM 980 at Lakeland Road near Riverside, Texas, when the car they were in collided with an oncoming pickup truck. Investigators have not yet said why.

"It's my family. My wife was laying there on the ground. (By) the look of the car, I don't know how either one of them lived. There was nothing left of that car," said Aaron Van Riper, Assistant Chief for the Thomas Lake Road Volunteer Fire Department.

His wife, Amber, was ejected from the car in the crash, while their 7-year-old son was still pinned inside. Both were rushed by LifeFlight to Memorial Hermann hospital with a number of fractures.

Van Riper says Amber endured nine hours of surgery just Sunday to repair her pelvis, broken in five places. The family, however, does not have insurance.

Amber works full time at a small company as a graphic designer. Both she and his son are expected to be in wheelchairs temporarily as they recover.

Friends have created a site to help the family with medical expenses and to make up for the lack of income as Amber is out of work. If you would like to help, go to their GoFundMe page.