Injured girl still in medically induced coma
Family members of the 6-year-old girl who was critically injured in a vehicle incident west of Whitefish are thankful for the continued outpouring of support they have received and are hopeful for her recovery.
Jordana Hubble, a student at Olney-Bissell School, had gotten off a school bus on U.S. 93 west of Whitefish at about 4:44 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, when she was struck by an oncoming vehicle that failed to stop, even though the proper bus lights and stop signs were fully activated.
Jordana’s mom, Veronica “Vo” Hubble, told the Daily Inter Lake Thursday that her daughter is still in a medically induced coma, but she is breathing on her own.
“The doctors expect her to be off the medication in the next day or so and out of the coma, so we’ll see,” Hubble said. “She’s not going to be the same and it will take her a long time to heal, but she’s feisty.”
Hubble said her daughter suffered what doctors told her is a diffuse axonal injury. According to hopkinsmedicine.org, it is the shearing (tearing) of the brain’s long connecting nerve fibers, which happens when the brain is injured as it shifts and rotates inside the skull. It usually causes coma and injury to many different parts of the brain.
Dr. Marcus Wheeler, a child neurologist at Kalispell Regional Medical Center, told the family that Jordana’s outcome is unknown at this point.
“We’re taking it one day at a time at this point,” Hubble said. “We’ve been seeing her make some movements, so it’s encouraging.”
Hubble and Jordana’s great uncle, Tom Esch, said they and the entire family, which includes her father, Cody, big sister Ember and big brother Soren, has been amazed at the community outreach and also those who responded to the traffic accident.
“We’re grateful to the first responders and bystanders who helped when it happened and everyone at Montana Children’s Hospital,” Hubble said. “They are the heroes.”
Esch credited the larger community support that led to the creation of Children’s Hospital.
“If the public doesn’t support that (Montana Children’s), then we may be in Seattle or somewhere very far from home,” Esch said. “Being able to be close to home is extremely important.”
Hubble described Jordana as her “little daredevil.”
“She’s a happy and very active kid, so full of energy. She loves her cousins and her friends. She enjoys climbing at Rockfish Gym and taking horse rides with her Grandma Vicky and her Aunt Vera.
“She loves her rabbits and cat, too,” Hubble said. “She can be a girly girl, but she’s a tomboy at times, too.”
An account has been set up at Whitefish Credit Union for donations. The money that is donated through the mealtrain.com website goes into the account and anyone interested in giving may write a check out to Jordana Hubble for the special fund at the credit union.
At Olney-Bissell School, it is hosting a non-perishable food drive.
Principal Trevor Dahlman said they are accepting gas cards, restaurant gift cards, and others.
The items can be dropped off at the school any time between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
They are also doing a T-shirt fundraiser. For more information, go to
https://jordanastrong.itemorder.com/
Whitefish Fire Department and Olney Fire and Ambulance are hosting a “Fill The Boot” fundraising drive for the next two weeks. Olney Fire is placing boots to fill with donations at the Olney Store and the Stillwater Bar, and Whitefish Fire will have a boot at its station at 275 Flathead Ave.
Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.