Photo courtesy of Sharon and Randy Budd
UNDATED – Sharon Budd became a known name in The Valley following a life-threatening accident in July. Now, the Ohio native says she feels, “Very well. I went to see the eye doctor and a neurosurgeon recently, and I think at therapy I am doing well and the neurosurgeon was very happy with the reports he received.”
This is seven months after the vehicle she was riding on I-80 in Union County was struck by a rock thrown over an overpass. Doctors did not know if Budd would survive, but after several surgeries at Geisinger Medical Center, and rehab at Geisinger Health South, Budd defied everyone’s expectations.
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She is now living back in her Ohio home, “Monday, Wednesday and Friday I go to therapy and Tuesday and Thursday we schedule any doctors appointments, or I can relax, spend time talking to my children and family. I can just cook or do laundry, those types of housekeeping things.”
Budd is a beloved teacher in Ohio, and recently won two awards. She was named Stark County Person of the Year and also Ohio Middle Level Association’s “Best Practice” award for teaching. Budd says, “I felt very honored to win, and very overwhelmed.”
Each day is another step in her recovery, and there is still a ways to go says her husband Randy Budd, “Sharon is going to have to come back out to Pennsylvania by the end of March. At Geisinger, they are contemplating whether they need a tissue expander to put in her head to expand the skin before they put her medical skull back on.”
Four teenage boys have been charged in the rock-throwing incident that drastically changed the lives of the Budd family. 19-year-old Brett Lahr of New Columbia, and 18-year-olds Dylan Lahr of New Columbia, Keefer McGee of New Columbia, and Tyler Porter of Milton are facing charges as adults. Lawyers for Dylan Lahr, McGee and Porter are seeking their clients to be tried as juveniles, because they were seventeen at the time of the incident.
Brett Lahr’s attorney wants charges against him thrown out due to lack of evidence against him. The attorney for the Lahr brothers, Bruce Manchester, has requested a gag order, meaning some information could be restricted from being public. He also has requested a change of venue for the trial, due to the international attention the incident has received. A hearing on these requests is expected for April in Union County Court.
As for what the Budds think of the four teenagers facing charges…Sharon Budd says, “I have thought about them. I wish I could have them in a room where I could tell them everything that happened since that incident that night. I know that isn’t going to happen, but I wish that would happen. Randy Budd says, “You know, they hurt Sharon really bad. The bottom line is, we want to let the [justice] system work.”
Though they love being back in Ohio, Sharon Budd says they will never forget their Pennsylvania family, “We were just there last week, and I probably couldn’t walk 10-20 feet without someone coming up thanking us, congratulating us or offering some sort of good wish. Pennsylvania has been amazing for us.”
In addition to coming back to The Valley for trips to Geisinger, along with any court proceedings, the Budds say they will also try to participate in some upcoming activities in the area including the TaTa Trot and Sharon Budd Day in Northumberland. (Sara Bartlett)