WOOD RIVER - Last Wednesday, Aug. 23, a 15-year-old boy was walking home from his first day as a sophomore at East Alton Wood River High School, when he was struck by a car near Edwardsville Road and Whitelaw just after 2 p.m.

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Wood River Deputy Chief Dan Bunt said witnesses at the scene told police there was no way the motorist could have avoided the collision, and stated the driver was not excessively speeding. He said the teen may not have seen the car due to a blind spot in his view. After being struck, the teen was airlifted to St. Louis Children's Hospital with multiple system trauma, the Wood River Fire Department stated.

That teenager has been identified as Shane Allen Reese on a GoFundMe page founded by Jeff Goodall, who identified himself as Reese's uncle. According to the page, Reese suffered several fractures, internal bleeding and is still looking at the potential for neurological damage due to the collision. Goodall also thanks the emergency responders for their work on that page.

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Currently, the goal has been set for $2,000 for assistance for both Reese and his family. Since it was posted three days ago, 15 people have donated a total of $480.

"I am his uncle, Jeff Goodall, and I have always been very close to him," he wrote on the page. "I am setting this GoFundMe up for not only Shane's necessities, but also for some help for his family. They will need help for lost wages from missing work both this week, and until he is stabilized enough for them to return. I am also asking for help with transportation costs back and forth once they do return to work, babysitters for his two younger brothers (as this was something Shane would often do) and potentially a decent laptop (if needed) so he can keep up with his studies from a hospital bed."

Originally, the GoFundMe page was set for $5,000, but Goodall has since lowered it to $2,000. He also said he would be keeping a detailed spending list with explanations in the interest of complete transparency. Any excess money would be donated to St. Louis Childrens Hospital, Goodall assured.

A request for comment sent to Goodall through both the GoFundMe page and Facebook Messenger has not been answered at this time.

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