‘We all know he will wake up’

Islanders are coming together to show support for Isaac Higgins, a Vineyard man who was critically injured after falling from a car roof in June.

He is currently being treated at Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass. General) after suffering a traumatic brain injury.

On Monday, members of Higgins’ family spoke to The Times in a conference phone call while they were at Mass. General. They expressed their gratitude to Edgartown Police Chief Bruce McNamee and the entire department for their rapid response, and thanked EMTs, the medevac flight team, and medical personnel at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital who helped bring Higgins safely to Mass. General. They mentioned how McNamee continues to check up on Higgins and his family to see how they are doing.

Higgins’ aunt, Karen Blake-Robinson, said that although he is stable, he is still in critical condition. “There hasn’t been a lot of change in his status, but the fact he is still with us is such a sign of hope. We all know he will wake up and be with the ones who love him,” Blake-Robinson said.

Blake-Robinson said that “by the grace of God,” Higgins is still fighting. She thanked the community for their immense support, and asked for more prayer.

“We feel all the love coming from Isaac’s friends, family, and people that know him. We want to say thank you,” she said.

One of Higgins’ longtime friends, Crockett Cataloni, told The Times he is confident Higgins will be all right. “We have been through a lot together,” Cataloni said. “But Isaac is a fighter, he always has been. And just like in the past, I don’t see him throwing in the towel; I know he is going to pull through.”

Blake-Robinson posted on Facebook after the accident asking those who know him to pray for his recovery.

The message also asks that people share the post and make their Facebook profile picture a picture of Higgins’ eyes “because our prayer is to see him open his beautiful eyes again,” the post reads.

The post also asks people to use the hashtag #IsaacStrong and share a picture they took with him.

In order to be with their son, Blake-Robinson said, Higgins’ parents have had to stop working.

The family has set up a GoFundMe to assist in medical bills and other expenses.

“We recognize that folks want to do more than pray,” Blake-Robinson said.