SPOKANE, Washington — On Aug. 10, 2024, Justin "Riley" Shaw's life changed forever — and now, 492 days later, he’s finally coming home.
Shaw, a US Forest Service firefighter, was fighting the Coffee Can Saddle Fire in the Salmon River Ranger District when he was suddenly struck by a falling tree.
He sustained multiple broken bones as well as a traumatic brain injury in the accident and required a Life Flight to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Lewiston before ultimately being transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. And that was just the beginning of Shaw's long journey towards rehabilitation.
He would later travel to Denver and then Omaha to undergo additional surgeries and receive specialized care to heal from his many injuries. Throughout the process, Shaw's sister-in-law and parents shared updates on his progress via a GoFundMe page that has now raised nearly $121k of the $125k goal.
In total, Justin endured 6 surgeries and nearly 16 months of rehab.
In a new update on Thursday, Courtney Shaw revealed that Justin will finally be returning to his home in Boise this upcoming Monday, nearly a year and a half after the accident occurred. His flight is set to arrive at the Boise Airport around 3 p.m. MT.
Courtney says that Justin will be participating in outpatient therapy for "quite some time, but it will be very motivating to be home among friends and family."
"Thanks to everyone who has cared, sent letters, gifts, prayers and encouragement. You have been a blessing and we are thankful. We are also grateful for the consistent support of the Wildland Fire Fighter Foundation as well as the JW Memorial Foundation." - Courtney Shaw via GoFundMe
Justin will live with his parents as he continues his rehabilitation.
The family expressed gratitude to the Gary Sinise Foundation for helping make their home accessible. Without them, Courtney said, "Justin would not be home for Christmas, and he wouldn’t have a safe place to live while he recovers."
Donate here: Justin “Riley” Shaw’s road to recovery
