Matt Morgan: Amtrak crash victim overwhelmed by community support
May 12 was just like any other work day for Matt Morgan. He boarded an Amtrak train headed to New York City for work at one of his two full-time jobs. Settling into his seat in the first car of the train shortly after 9 p.m., he took a nap. Four days later, he woke up in the hospital, with no recollection of what happened.
Morgan was one of the more than 200 people injured when a train derailed as it negotiated a sharp curve at more than 100 mph in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia. Eight people were killed in the accident. Morgan's car sustained the most damage. If Morgan awoke during the crash, he doesn't remember it.
“I'm lucky to be here,” he said. “I'm happy to be alive.”
In the days, weeks and months following the accident, Morgan has undergone several surgeries and is still unable to walk. The 32-year-old father of seven children, all under 11 years old, he spends most days in his Long Neck area home recovering, unable to work or venture out of the house. Much of the day-to-day work of taking children to doctor's appointments, sports and school has fallen on the shoulders of his wife, Lisa. But thanks to the overwhelming support of the Cape Region, the burden is less daunting.
"It's just amazing how much this small town cares for each other,” he said. “It's just mind-blowing the amount of support we've received.”
Added Lisa, “People we don't even know were showing up at the front door with groceries. It's really quite amazing.”
Nearly two months after the accident, the community is still looking out for the family and offering help in any way it can.
The Morgan family moved to the area about a year ago from Long Island, N.Y. Matt said he and his wife looked in northern Delaware, but immediately fell in love with the Cape Region. Matt said they knew this was the right place to raise a family, and it's all the more evident now.
Since the incident, Kids Cottage and the Sussex Family YMCA have waived any charges and fees for the Morgan children. Atlantic Lacrosse stepped up by offering to take Matt's kids to and from practices and games. Neighbors in the Villages at Herring Creek completed unfinished yard work, presented the family with a check to cover expenses and provided more dinners than the Morgans can consume.
“You'd be amazed if you looked in our fridge,” Matt said.
The teachers, staff and PTO at Rehoboth Elementary were equally as generous, he said, providing emotional support for his kids while he recovered in the hospital. The PTO also made sure the family had food to put on the table.
St. Peter's Episcopal Church also sponsored a scholarship for Matt's two eldest children to attend nearby Camp Arrowhead.
Since coming home May 23, Matt has been working with physical therapists at home five days a week. He has one leg surgery to go, and doctors are confident Matt will be able to walk again in September. He has come a long way since the crash, when he broke both legs and suffered fractures in his shoulder, skull and vertebrae.
The cause of the derailment is still under investigation by the FBI and National Transportation Safety Board.
Matt works as an electrical engineer for Amtrak as well as a broadcast engineer with Major League Baseball. In the latter, he works to ensure video feeds of games across the country are relayed to the proper target via MLB's At Bat app.
Although the family moved south, Matt still had to work out of New York and commute for both his jobs. Once recovered, he said, he doesn't know if he'll be able to set foot back on a train. Until that day comes, he is just happy to be with wife Lisa and children, Michael, 11; Erin, 8; Ryan, 7; Sean, 5; Kyle, 4; Noah, 18 months; and Liam, 4 months.
“Thank you isn't enough to say for everything everyone has done for us,” he said.
