Northern Kentucky veteran severely injured in plane crash in North Carolina
Tonight on WLWT News Five, we bring you the top stories only on WLWT. A Northern Kentucky man is still in the hospital after a fiery plane crash in North Carolina. Shawn Yocum was on board the small plane that crashed Sunday morning with two others, and now he has a long road to recovery ahead of him. WLWT anchor Chris Jacobs spoke with Shawn's best friend and here's how they're all holding up. Hey, Chris. Yeah, they're holding up as well as they can right now. Yocum's friend Jake Swartz said Shawn's injuries are life-changing, but he also said Shawn will get through this now. Jake just got back from North Carolina after spending days in the hospital with his best friend. He opened up about the pain he's been through these past few days. “Everybody's hopeful. At the end of the day, the biggest thing we want is that they're alive,” he said. “Everybody's alive. It's a story of survival. After that serious plane crash in North Carolina. I don't think there's any time to rest.” There was no time to rest from worrying, was there?Uh, and we were going back and forth between the two guys in the same hospital. Three continue to recover after the Sunday morning crash. One of the three, Sean Yocum, a Marine Corps veteran from Northern Kentucky, and his best friend Jake have been by his side ever since they noticed he was barely sleeping during his recovery. You don't want to miss the moment when one of these guys wakes up, but unfortunately there's no timer to tell you when that is, they just beep and disappear for a few minutes at a time. Sean's injuries are extensive facial fractures, a broken right arm, and four broken vertebrae. This is just the beginning. We're talking about learning to walk again. Uh, learning to live on his feet, with a new range of motion. Right. Because he can't bend over. But despite the severity of his injuries, Jake is sending a message of hope for his best friend and others. It's hard. He needs help. Uh, but he's got it. Now, as for the recovery period, Schwartz says Sean will likely remain hospitalized for the next month or two, but it could take a year for him to fully recover. The cause of the accident is still unknown. It is currently under investigation by the NTSB. A GOFUNDME has been set up to support Yocum and his family during his rehabilitation. There is a link on our website.
Northern Kentucky veteran severely injured in plane crash in North Carolina
A retired Marine from Northern Kentucky was seriously injured in a plane crash in North Carolina. According to NBC affiliate WXII, the crash occurred around 10:20 a.m. Sunday, shortly after the plane took off from Gray Creek Airport. Sean Yoakum, a 2011 graduate of Kenton County Success Academy, was seriously injured in the crash and remains hospitalized and undergoing treatment. Yoakum suffered multiple injuries, including a broken spine, facial fractures and internal injuries, according to a family spokesman. He will require multiple surgeries and is expected to undergo several months of rehabilitation. Yoakum is a father of one and has lived in Northern Kentucky all his life, according to a family spokesman. A GoFundMe has been set up to support Yoakum and his family during his rehabilitation.
A Marine Corps veteran from Northern Kentucky was seriously injured in a plane crash in North Carolina.
The crash happened around 10:20 a.m. Sunday, shortly after the plane took off from Gray's Creek Airport, according to NBC affiliate WXII.
Shawn Yocum, a 2011 graduate of Kenton County Success Academy, was seriously injured in the accident and remains hospitalized receiving treatment.
A family spokesman said Yocum suffered numerous injuries, including a fractured spine, facial fractures and internal injuries. He is due to undergo multiple surgeries and is expected to undergo several months of rehabilitation.
A spokesman for Yoakum's family said Yoakum is a father of one and a lifelong resident of Northern Kentucky. A GoFundMe has been set up to support Yoakum and his family during his rehabilitation.