New Beginnings for Ben
Reported By: Rachel Minami
Photographed By: Yolanda Diaz
NEWBERG, OR- It’s an unremarkable weekend in July. School has been out for a couple months now, and students are home and working or relaxing during their summer break. Out of the dozens of notifications students receive on their phones each day, suddenly one stands out from the rest. “Please be praying for Ben, he got into a serious car accident Saturday and is currently at the hospital,” the text says.
Word spreads, group chats are notified, and social media posts are made. Details about what truly happened in the accident are not provided. All anyone knew was that George Fox University (GFU) student Benjamin Wing was injured and in the hospital, and would be for the foreseeable future.
Before the accident, Wing had been a friendly figure on the GFU campus. His voice could always be heard cheering on the GFU football team at games and engaging in friendly conversation while playing ping pong in the Brandt Hall lobby.
“His energy, positivity, and fun-loving nature are just a few of the things that make him special. He’s willing to make everyone a friend, he works harder than anybody I know, and he cares and loves with his full heart,” said Graham Buyagawan, his roommate for the past two years.
Wing was also well known within fine arts circles, having been in concert and chamber choir and performing in the 2022 winter musical “Godspell.”
It was hard to suddenly picture someone as bright and upbeat as Wing in a coma, undergoing multiple surgeries and unable to breathe on his own. His parents started a CaringBridge website to update all those who had been praying for him on his progress as he continued to heal throughout the rest of the summer.
“Several nurses have told us that we need to remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint,” his mother wrote in a journal entry. “We have so many miracles and so much progress to thank God for! We can’t begin to thank you for all the love and prayers you’re sending Ben and our family! We feel it all, and it is contributing to Ben’s amazing healing!”
It has been slow going, but Wing has made significant progress in his return to full health. By the end of October, as the first autumn rains were beginning to fall on the GFU campus, Wing was feeling well enough to make his first appearance back on campus since the accident.
As students, parents, and grandparents settled into their seats in Bauman Auditorium for the annual GFU family weekend choir concert, GFU president Robin Baker took to the stage and asked Wing to stand. The applause and cheers from the crowd were more than a formality acknowledging his presence at the concert: they were a celebration of his triumphant return to health and a testament to the impact he has had on the lives of those who know him.
His numerous friends and acquaintances are all feeling the effects of his absence, and are excited to see him again. “He brings such a positive and fun vibe to everything he does, and we’ve all missed him in choir,” said Rachel Oppenlander, a fellow choir student and “Godspell” cast member.
Wing is also looking forward to returning to campus. While he is on track for a full recovery, Wing sustained enough brain damage that the potential of never returning to full brain function was, and still is, possible. “I’m looking into returning next term. Credit wise, I don’t know how many classes I can handle. I’m hoping to live back on campus, but we’re playing it by ear,” Wing said.
During his recovery, Wing has been doing physical therapy, getting closer and closer to where he was at physically before the accident. “My numerous therapies are also going great. My PT walked me around the outside of the gym without my cane, but with a gait belt on. We walked sideways along hills and on grass and concrete. I never even came close to falling and impressed my PT very much,” he wrote in a journal entry on his still-active CaringBridge site.
Overall, he is anxiously awaiting his homecoming to the GFU campus. “I miss everything about being on campus, both the good and the bad,” Wing said. Some might think it would be nice, getting so much time off from school and not having to do homework all the time. However, Wing said, “I miss overwhelming study sessions, and surprisingly enough, I miss eating in The Bon.” As for other extracurricular activities, Wing is looking forward to internship opportunities, participating in the IGNITE program, and applying to be a Resident Assistant (RA) next year.