Wellsburg Tractor Hayride Accident Medical Funds

My husband and I are the pastors of Wellsburg Community Church (WCC) in Wellsburg, NY, which is within a mile of the tractor hayride accident that took place on Sunday, October 4, 2026. The family involved are friends of WCC and took some of our congregation on a beautiful hayride last fall.

Today I was able to speak to Clayton and Kimbra Hess, the parents of sixteen-year-old Jackson, who was driving the tractor when the brakes failed, causing the tractor to flip, leaving Jackson in critical condition in the intensive care unit of Robert Packer Hospital.

As members of the German Baptist church (what is commonly confused with Amish), the Hess family does not receive governement benefits, including health insurance. They will be responsible for 100% of their medical bills for Jackson and the children who fell from the hay trailer when it became detached from the tractor, three of whom were taken to the hospital by ambulance, treated and released (Jackson's sister Annabelle was admitted, but has since gone home).

Today when I asked Clayton how people can best help in practical ways, he said, "We don't know how we will cover the medical bills." I could see the worry all over his face. It is enough to be anxious about your kid's medical condition; this sweet couple shouldn't have the added burden of finances weighing them down.

I told Clayton and Kimbra that there are a lot of people out there who have been following this story, and care for them and all the children involved, and they want to help. I told them about this particular fundraising platform, my excellent experience with it, and what we would be doing. They are incredibly grateful, and gave me permission to share their names.

Like the Amish, members of the German Baptist church do not pose for photos, so I have incuded a photo from a local news source.

Thank you so much, on behalf of Clayton and Kimbra Hess, their son Jackson, and the parents of all the children who were on the hayride,

Dave and Faith Bogdan

Pastors, Wellsburg Community Church