Virden couple overwhelmed by support

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This article was published 24/04/2025 (337 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While a 32-year-old Virden man recovers from serious spinal cord injuries he sustained in a vehicle crash last week, his wife gets emotional as she talks about the importance of staying strong for their family.

Ashley-Joy Burgess said there are a lot of unknowns when it comes to her husband Josh’s recovery, but one thing she’s certain of is the “overwhelming support” they’ve received from the community.

Since a GoFundMe page was started last Friday, $11,100 has been raised to help the couple and their two children.

“I don’t know what we’ve done to deserve all this kindness,” Burgess said, her voice breaking with emotion.

“There are almost no words to describe it. It’s just been amazing and so helpful lifting our spirits,” she said.

“I don’t have to stop and think about all the challenges that might be coming up — we can just focus on right now and on the healing. And the support is a huge reason why we can stay so optimistic, because of their help, their messages and the donations. It’s all just so unbelievable.”

Josh was a passenger in a pickup truck when the collision happened last Wednesday just before noon. He was riding with a colleague on a gravel road about four kilometres south of Virden.

They were on Road 152W and were hit at the intersection of Road 55N by a pickup truck that did not stop at the stop sign, the RCMP said in a media release. The driver of the second pickup truck, a 41-year-old woman, was charged under the Highway Traffic Act with failing to stop.

“They both saw that the other truck wasn’t slowing down,” Burgess told the Sun. “And Will (the driver) hammered on the brakes, turned a little to the right, and the crash propelled them into the ditch.

“Thankfully, she (the other driver) was able to walk away from it and Will was able to walk away. But unfortunately, Josh got seriously injured. And unfortunately, he remembers everything,” she said.

At about the same time, Burgess was starting her lunch break and called Josh, but he didn’t answer. She started to worry when the second call also went unanswered.

A while later her phone rang with Josh’s ID, but it was his colleague, Will, telling her about the crash. While frantic and “very much in shock,” Burgess said her fears were “calmed a bit” when she heard her husband’s voice in the background.

Twelve hours later, Burgess said, they were at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, where Josh was booked for emergency spinal surgery the next morning.

“He has about a 12-inch-long incision on his back, and they put 20 screws, and probably the length of that in rods to stabilize his spine. So it was a few fractures, but one of the vertebrae had completely shattered, and that was compressing his spinal cord,” she said.

“The kids had a very hard time with it but everyone’s doing the best that they can, and just yesterday, he was able to stand up, so that was huge, and it’s looking very promising that he’ll be able to walk,” said Burgess.

The spinal cord injury team has told the family that Josh is a good candidate for the rehabilitation program, and they talked about mobility aids and possible adaptations the Burgesses will have to make in their home.

When Burgess spoke with the Sun on Wednesday, it was her first day back in Virden since she left for work last Wednesday morning.

She has stayed by Josh’s side in the hospital, grabbing a few hours sleep in a Winnipeg hotel, trading off with members of her and her husband’s family.

“Josh and I have been in tears over the messages we’ve been getting — it’s so overwhelming in such a good way,” said Burgess.

“And then the donations on top of it, we’re just floored by the help we’re receiving from the community. So, so grateful for everybody.”

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

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