By james art LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – A survivor of the crash that killed seven members of his golf team is now working to support burn victims and their families.
Dayton Price traveled from Canada to Lubbock Thursday morning to give back to an organization that has become a second home for his family.
Price dreams of one day taking a shot at a professional tournament. He was one step closer, playing collegiate golf at Southwestern University in Hobbs. A chance to play on a scholarship took him from a town outside of Toronto, Canada, all the way to New Mexico.
He likes to go back to Hobbes, but it’s bittersweet.
“Obviously it’s hard because you’re there in a place where you’ve been every day with some people who aren’t here anymore,” he said. “I didn’t know that that day, maybe it was my last round and it was the last round for most of my teammates.”
On March 15, 2022, six of his teammates and his coach died in a fiery head-on crash.
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His mother, Ornella, says what followed was the 2 a.m. phone call, a layover and only one seat left on the flight to Lubbock.
“My husband said ‘you have to go,’ and that hour-long flight to get to Lubbock was probably the hardest. Not knowing what I would find when I landed and if he would be alive,” she said.
Dayton suffered 3rd and 4th degree burns over 45 percent of his body. While he was in the hospital for more than 80 days, he knows his family was well taken care of.
“We are devastated and grateful to know that we had a home to come to and to be able to go back and forth to the hospital,” she said.
The Price family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest. His sister, Noella, says that while she was busy being there for her brother, it helped take care of everything else.
“They made me feel very at ease, especially because I was, I’m still in high school. I was still doing homework and had loads of tests to do and they all allowed me to use whatever I needed, created this space for me which I really appreciate,” said Noella.
Dayton and his family created Price Strong to help support organizations like the Ronald McDonald House and other burn victims and their families.
After hosting their second golf tournament in Canada, the family gave back $5,000 to families in Lubbock.
“I’m just grateful to be alive and given a second chance at life and to be able to do these things, it just makes it that much better.”
Price Strong also helps support Dayton. He and his family travel back and forth to Lubbock for specialized treatment at the UMC Burn Unit.
While still in treatment, Dayton is not giving up on his dream.
“There’s no way I’m not going to play professional golf after what happened. There is no giving up in me and there never will be. For myself, but also for my teammates and my coach,” he said. “It’s going to be pretty hard to stop me and seven other people. So hopefully one day we can do another interview when I’m on the PGA Tour.”
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