Holmes Beach City Commissioner Pat Morton has seen better days following the death of his wife and a crash that left him injured.
But Morton’s run as commissioner will continue despite being forced to move from his residence of five years.
Morton told The Islander March 19 that he was set to move into a new apartment on Guava Street by the end of the month, allowing him to retain his seat on the city commission.
Morton was struck Jan. 25 by a motorist while walking into work at Ace Hardware, 3352 E. Bay Drive.
The crash left Morton hospitalized, with a chipped vertebra, kidney damage and a fractured pelvis. He was still two-and-a-half weeks from returning to work as of March 19.
Then, March 17, his wife of 45 years, Gailene, died.
Despite personal injury and tragedy, Morton also was tasked with the challenge of moving out of his Seaside Gardens apartment.
Around the end of February, Morton’s landlords asked him to vacate the property by April so it could be placed on the market for sale.
Primary residency within the city is one of the requirements to be a city commissioner, so Morton would have lost his seat if he moved outside Holmes Beach limits.
Morton said finding another affordable property within the city was a challenge, but he was relieved to have found another Holmes Beach property to call home.
“I was fortunate to get into this one,” Morton said. “I’ve known the area for a long time.”
He said he had begun the packing process while also coordinating his wife’s final wishes.
In the meantime, a handful of people have promised to help Morton complete the move, as he’s not able to lift heavy items since the Jan. 25 crash.
“It’s been a very trying couple months,” Morton said. “But I’m not one to get down. I got to get up and get going. So that’s what I do: Just keep striding forward. Some things work out and some things don’t.”
Regarding his position on the city commission, Morton said, “We’ve still got work to do.”
A GoFundMe campaign organized by The Islander to raise money on behalf of Morton had raised $8,150 toward a $10,000 goal with 77 donations as of March 22.
People can search for “Please, Help! Unexpected Home Care Costs, Expenses” and donate to the campaign on gofundme.com.
Meanwhile, donations are being collected by the city of Holmes Beach for a flowering royal poinciana to be planted at city hall. Checks should be made to the city, 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach FL 34217, with a memo “in memory of Gailene Morton.”