Family, friends rally around boy hurt woodcutting

Family and friends have rallied around an 10-year-old Minden boy critically injured Saturday while woodcutting with his father and a family friend.

Joey Jacobsen, a Minden Elementary School fifth grade student, was with his father Tim and Matt Bernard in Markleeville when a tree "suddenly took a wrong twist" and struck him in the head.

Joey was taken by CareFlight to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno with severe head injuries. He was listed Tuesday in critical condition.

The family is keeping friends updated with a Web site on Caring Bridge, a nonprofit Web service that connects family and friends during a critical illness, treatment or recovery.

His parents Robbi and Tim Jacobsen and older brother Timmy are keeping a vigil at the hospital along with other family members.

"Words cannot express the outpouring of love and support from everyone in Minden and Gardnerville. Thank you, thank you, thank you," Robbi and Tim Jacobsen, said in an e-mail Tuesday. "Please continue with the prayers."

Joey's cousin, Jeremy Houser, is writing the updates.

On Tuesday, the family reported that Joey had undergone surgery to relieve the pressure in his brain.

"Joey continues to fight for his life and every hour is a victory for him," Houser wrote in Joey's Journal.

By noon Tuesday, more than 4,100 people had visited the site, many signing the guestbook to offer prayers and wishes for recovery.

Joey grandson of Betty Jacobsen and the late State. Sen. Lawrence E. Jacobsen.

"On behalf of Tim, Robbi, Timmy and the whole extended Jacobsen family, we cannot convey the appreciation for all the prayers and messages that we have received," Houser wrote. "Please do not quit praying for our 'little woodcutter.' There is a job that is half done and al all of you know, Joey never leaves a job half done."

ON THE WEB

Caring Bridge Web Site

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/joeyjacobsen

YOU CAN HELP

Trinity Lutheran Church Pastor Eric Borchers, who has spent hours in vigil with the Jacobsen family at Renown Hospital in Reno, said Joey's vital signs on Tuesday morning were stable. This tragic accident generated many calls from concerned people in the community to ask how they could help the family. In answer to those requests, an account has been set up at the Bank of America in Minden, no. 5010-0730-0228,J oey's Donation, to assist the family with expenses not covered by insurance.