When life comes to a screeching halt, where does a family turn to for help? The Langvold family is hoping it can turn to the people of Whidbey Island.

Bord Langvold was seriously injured in an accident on July 4. He was riding his Harley Davidson when he collided with another vehicle. Bord suffered two broken legs, a broken pelvis and had to undergo 11 hours of surgery. And he had a heart attack while in surgery.

Doctors have told him he will not be able to bear any weight on his legs until after September.

“This has just totally upset our existence,” Bord’s wife Beverly said.

The 26-year veteran of the Washington State Ferry Service has been at a nursing home since July 12, taking on hours of physical therapy and mental stress. He should return to his home Monday.

The family was living on just Bord’s income and has been left without a penny coming in, Beverly said.

“Luckily, I wasn’t working, and I was able to be with him the nine days he was in the hospital,” she said. “I only came to the island once.”

The family has struggled to pay bills and expenses. Beverly said she has asked local churches for assistance, but with parishioners lacking, so are extra funds.

Lighthouse Christian Center has given $200 and Living Word Fellowship has given $150. But this only begins to cover the expenses of a family that has two children in the house, and three more living in the area.

“It’s tough when you have a husband who brings in a really good income and then you’re down to nothing,” Beverly said.

The disability payments Bord should receive will be 60-percent of what his base pay was.

The reality of the accident took more than two weeks to set in. “For the first two weeks, I was in a state of shock,” Beverly said.

The confusion and fear was amplified by the two parking tickets she received while at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. She had two weeks to face the reality of her husband’s injuries. She had two weeks to plan for the future, then she realized it was her son’s birthday.

So, she called Safeway and asked if they could donate a small cake for her son Erik to share with Bord. Safeway topped that: It donated the cake, a bouquet of balloons and $50 so the 11 year old could buy himself a gift.

“It helped daddy to feel good to see that there are people in his community who wanted to help an 11-year-old have a good birthday,” Beverly said.

Bord’s recovery time is unknown at this point. The heart attack complicated things a bit, and doctors are unsure if his brain was injured, Beverly said.

“It’s such a blessing to know he’s not in a coma,” she said. “He’s got two beautiful kids and they need him as a father.”

The Langvolds have an account at Whidbey Island Bank to help them cover expenses. Donations can be made at any branch.

“I have lived here since 1976, and I know this community can band together for people in need,” Beverly said. “The community has really done some beautiful things for us.”