Pilot Instructor, 22, in Fatal Fremont Crash Faces Long Recovery
Feb. 6--CANON CITY -- A local 22-year-old pilot instructor who was seriously injured during a plane crash Sunday near the Fremont County Airport has a long road of recovery ahead of him.
Daniel Turner was serving as a certified pilot instructor working out of both Pueblo County and Fremont Country airports. The crash happened about 2 p.m. Sunday as a student pilot, who has not been named, was flying a single-engine Piper during takeoff. The condition of the pilot, who survived the crash, has not been released.
The accident, which occurred just outside airport property on Colorado Department of Corrections property, resulted in the death of a passenger, David Merritt, 39, of Colorado Springs.
"In all honesty, I was more worried about him on the road in a car than I was about him flying," said his mother, Sherry Turner, who is in Denver during her son's recovery. "He is going to be in the hospital for a while -- both jaw bones and every facial bone is broken, plus he has ligament damage in his neck."
"He will have to wear a neck brace for six weeks and undergo speech rehab and even eating rehab. We are very fortunate the rest of him is OK," Sherry Turner said.
She said doctors don't yet know about her son's vision because he has not been able to communicate; however, the "pressure behind his eyes is good."
For Turner, flying was a dream. He started flying at the age of 16 and has been certified as both a single-engine and twin-engine flight instructor since he was 18.
"He has a way of soothing nerves and calming anxiety. He is very patient -- he could not be a instructor if he wasn't," Sherry Turner said.
Turner also is a captain with Civil Air Patrol, an organization he is involved in with his mom. She credits her work on CAP search and rescue missions, as well as the helpful nature of paramedics and skydivers on scene, for helping her stay cool Sunday when she rushed to the scene.
"If Daniel wants to get back in the saddle and fly again, we will encourage him," Sherry Turner said of herself and her husband, Dannie.
For now, Turner also will have to put college on hold as he was working toward a business degree.
"I had to dis-enroll him from classes this week," she said.
Turner, who was home-schooled, "soaked everything up" and graduated from high school at the age of 16. He loves to play piano, sing and even dabble in playing string instruments as well.
His childhood piano teacher, Rebecca Cooling, has launched a GoFundMe account to help the Turner family pay for unexpected medical expenses and costs associated with being away from home.
To donate, go to https://www.gofundme.com and search for: provide for pilot Daniel Turner's medical journey.
As for the Turners, they are ready to put on their unofficial nursing badges and help nurse their son back to health. Medical challenges are familiar to the family.
"When my husband, Dannie, was in the hospital for liver failure, Daniel was taking online college courses while sitting in whatever hospital his father was in. I got used to the title of honorary nurse when I was helping Dannie go through this," Sherry Turner said.
Today, Dannie Turner is six years past a successful liver transplant. He has shown his son what fighting is all about.
Twitter: @tracywumps
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