A family from New Jersey is mourning the loss of a 6-year-old girl who they say died in a freak accident while on vacation. Lucy Morgan was sitting on the sidelines watching her family play badminton when one of the racquets spontaneously broke during a downward swing. A piece of metal from the handle reportedly snapped off and hit Lucy in the skull, causing a catastrophic brain injury.
According to her father Pastor Jesse Morgan’s blog, New Creation Living, June 1 started off like any other day while the family vacationed in Limerick, Maine. But life took a fateful turn, and he says his little girl is now with Jesus.
The family knew immediately that something was very wrong.
Jesse Morgan explained on his blog that after the piece of metal struck his daughter, she was immediately unresponsive but breathing on her own. His wife, Bethany Morgan, traveled with the ambulance and their daughter to a small hospital, but Lucy was taken by helicopter to Maine Medical Center in Portland shortly afterward. The family knew Lucy’s life was in danger.
“Upon arrival she went right to the operating room where they removed part of her skull to relieve pressure and deal with her injury. She coded, they got her back, and they completed the surgery,” he wrote on the blog. “In the PICU we are being told that there is a very slim chance she recovers.”
Jesse Morgan said his daughter wanted to be with God.
Just a month before her accident, the little girl reportedly told her parents she wanted to be saved and to live with God. He wrote on his blog that Lucy asked her mother about being saved, and after a brief conversation, she began to pray.
“She went to her room and prayed to God to forgive her and that she believed in Jesus death and resurrection. What a gift,” her father wrote.
Lucy never recovered from her injury.
Jesse Morgan explained that the location where the metal pierced his daughter’s skull meant devastating damage occurred. Doctors told the family she would likely not survive.
The day before her death, he wrote, “The significant lack of brain function over the past 48 hours demonstrates this reality that we are utterly devastated by. If there is any good news in this, it’s that she hasn’t felt any pain over the past few days.
“We will keep waiting on the Lord, getting second opinions, and exhausting every possible avenue while crying out to God for a miracle,” he added. “However, as of now, our beloved daughter has been showing all the signs of brain death for the past few days. There is a very good chance that she passes away and meets Jesus within 24 hours.”
The family is surrounded by love.
Many people took to social media to share kind words about Lucy and her family. Dan Cruver, a former professor of Jesse Morgan, spoke highly of the father’s character in a post on Facebook.
“Jesse Morgan was a student of mine when I taught Bible and theology at Clarks Summit University 18 years ago. I remember quite a lot of students, but there are a few that you remember because they frequently engaged you after class and asked thoughtful, insightful questions,” he wrote. “Jesse was one of those students.”
Loved ones created a GoFundMe account for the family.
The account surpassed its original goal of $100,000 and posted a new goal of $130,000, which is close to being achieved with more than $125,000 in donations so far.
Organizer Jill Anthony wrote, “This page serves as a place to provide them extravagant financial support – to help pay for meals while they are away from home, lodging for family, medical costs … whatever they need.”
Anthony added an update that reads, “June 5, Lucy went to be with the Lord. Please keep praying for the Morgans as they walk through these next days, weeks, months, and years without their sweet Lucy here with them.”