Holmes Beach City Commissioner Pat Morton is enjoying time with family after a rough start to 2024.
Morton told The Islander May 3 that he was spending time with his sister in West Virginia as he continues to recover from injuries suffered after he was hit by a vehicle in January.
“I’m sitting in my sister’s yard, underneath the trees on a swing. Enjoying it,” Morton said.
He was struck Jan. 25 by a motorist while walking into work at Ace Hardware, 3352 E. Bay Drive.
The collision left Morton hospitalized with chipped vertebrae, kidney damage and a fractured pelvis.
In late February, the landlords of Morton’s Seaside Gardens apartment asked him to vacate the property by April so it could be sold.
He was faced with scrambling to find a place to live at a time when annual rentals are scarce and rates are at the highest ever seen on Anna Maria Island. And, he faced losing his seat on the commission if he moved out of Holmes Beach.
And then the news got worse.
On March 17, Morton’s wife of 45 years, Gailene, died.
Following his wife’s death, Morton found a rental on Guava Street, maintaining his primary residency within Holmes Beach and his seat on the city commission.
He said May 3 that the move had been completed by late March and he was happy with his new digs.
He left April 19 to visit family in West Virginia and said he had been helping his sister with yardwork but activities remain limited due to his injuries.
Morton said he still struggles with moderate pain in his back and hip but was hoping it would clear up in the next three months since his doctors estimated a six-month recovery timeline.
“It’s going to take time,” he said. “At least I’m mobile and able to get around, and come up here, anyways.”
In the meantime, Morton said he heard good news about a potential resolution in his lawsuit against the motorist who struck him. He said his case was “very favorable” and may be resolved in 4-5 months.
Morton said he hoped the suit might allow him to retire and eventually move back to West Virginia. He said he might live with his sister and also build a small house on family-owned property less than a mile from where he was born and raised in Morgantown.
“It’s what you call a full circle,” he added.
A GoFundMe campaign organized by The Islander to raise money on behalf of Morton, titled, “Please, Help! Unexpected Home Care Costs, Expenses,” had raised $8,230 toward a $10,000 goal with 80 donations as of May 7.
People can donate at gofundme.com.