Community working to support Rankin family

NEWBERRY COUNTY — Members of the community have pulled together to support the Rankin family following a car accident involving Keith Rankin on Sunday, Aug. 14.

Rankin is the owner of Livingston’s Service Center (located on Main Street in Newberry) and is married to Kayla Rankin. Together they have three children. According to Kayla Rankin, he is doing well, considering all that he has been through.

“The doctors and nurses have been very surprised by his progress, but that’s Keith. He is strong and he is a fighter,” she said. “He has experienced a TBI (traumatic brain injury), so it’s hard to say just what his recovery will look like. It’s not like when you break a bone. You know that if you set it, it will heal in a specific way, and within a certain time-frame. The brain is a complicated and unpredictable thing, and it will just take time and patience. I can tell you that his progress so far is not the usual, so we continue to pray that he makes a full and speedy recovery, and we appreciate the continued prayers lifted up on his behalf.”

Following the accident, members of the community quickly gathered together to help, this included providing meals, helping move, holding fundraisers – just to name a few.

“I have known Kayla since high school, I got to watch Kayla and Keith’s love story unfold before my eyes. Watching them start a family to buying their first home, even become business owners, their life has been full of blessings,” said Newberry resident, Caroline Smith. “On Monday, August 15, Keith was in a terrible car accident that has riddled his body with multiple injuries. Our community has stepped up in multiple ways and I could not be prouder to call Newberry my home than I can now. From people quickly stepping up to feed them to a group of ladies coming together to pack their home — the Rankin family were in the middle of moving out of their home to be able to put it up for sale. A massive amount of people showed up Saturday, August 20, to move countless boxes, tractors, tools and lots and lots of books — Kayla is an avid reader.”

According to Smith, there are a few different fundraisers for the family. Right now, she said, there is a meal train going to help feed the family of five, plus the helpers with the children (https://mealtrain.com/mmo7d3).

There is also a Boston butt fundraiser through the Newberry County Emergency Services, in conjunction with Wightman UMC Cooking Que for Christ Ministry. Those tickets are $40 and pick up is at Wightman UMC on Sept. 24 between 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. For tickets, you can contact any member of the Newberry County Rescue Squad. See their Facebook page for details (facebook.com/newberrycountyrescue). Smith said there is no cut off on tickets, they will sell until they are all gone.

Newberry business owner and friend of Keith Rankin, Dr. Wade Verch, added that Keith Rankin is a small-town hero, being a volunteer fireman and first responder.

“More importantly, he’s honest, loyal and as good a person as you can hope to find. One of those, “give you the shirt off his back” sort of people. He and Kayla are wholesome people with three little ones and local small business owners. I started the gofundme for Keith because I know they would never ask for help themselves. And, although we are all very blessed that Keith survived, I know there is a long road ahead before his life looks normal again. I’m thrilled to see the community give back to Keith as he has selflessly given to the community,” Verch said.

To support the gofundme, you can follow this link (gofund.me/1f671d3b) which is entitled “Keith Rankin emergency medical support drive.”

“I am not sure that I can find the adequate words to describe how much the support of the community has meant to our family. It has been the difference between sinking or staying above water. We are going through one of the worst things you can imagine, but in the midst of having our lives turned upside down, we’ve also had the opportunity to see how much the support of others can make a difference,” said Kayla Rankin. “To have so many people praying for us and reaching out with words of support, as well as taking action on our behalf…has been so humbling. Often, I think we see people going through hard times and we wonder, what can I really do? I know now that the answer is anything. There is no act too small that it will not be felt. My gratitude for every act of kindness, every word, every prayer, cannot be put into words, but I would say thank you all the same.”