CHICAGO – A young Chicago firefighter is stable after being injured in a crash while riding a motorcycle, but remains unconscious following his surgery.
Mason Maj’s loved ones have not left his bedside and are urgently asking the community to help them put together the moments before he was hurt.
“Mason is a fighter and supporter for everybody. If you ever need a hand, he’s the first person to call,” said Maggie Maxstadt, Mason’s fiancé.
Now, Maxstadt and Mason’s family are hoping someone can answer their call as they search for clarity after Mason was critically injured in a crash while riding a motorcycle on Friday morning.
“The car was coming eastbound, turned in front of him and hit the back quarter panel of the vehicle. The vehicle stopped, which is a good thing,” Maxstadt said.
Since the crash, Mason has been receiving care a Lutheran General Hospital.
His family said Mason left his home early Friday morning to avoid traffic and was on his way to Franklin Park to feed his fish at an aquarium.
Chicago police said at around 6:30 a.m., Mason rear-ended a Nissan near Addison and Narrangansett in the Portage Park neighborhood, leaving him severely injured.
“His knee was severely dislocated, knee broken, ankle displaced. His left arm has opened, as well as a small brain bleed,” Maxstadt said.
Now, loved ones are left with many questions about how the crash happened.
“He would hit the car on his right side on his body, and all injuries are on his left side. Did he fly through the air? Did the ground cause the injuries? Did another vehicle cause the injuries? We can’t put the puzzle quite together,” said Mason’s father, Ted Maj.
They hope neighbors or drivers who were in the area at the time of the crash saw something and can help fill in the details about the circumstances leading up to the crash.
“We know that there was a kind person who got out of their truck and went to help Mason when he was injured. We’re hoping that person can come forward and shed more light on what happened,” Maxstadt said.
Mason graduated from the fire academy in June and serves as a firefighter with Engine 93, following the footsteps of his father who is a captain with Engine 26.
“Mason has been dreaming and hoping to be a firefighter his entire life and he got to achieve that dream,” Maxstadt said. “He serves the community when you’re fallen, and now we need to serve him and be able to pick him up when he has fallen.”
Mason’s family expressed their profound appreciation for the support they’ve received from relatives, friends, strangers and their Chicago fire family.
A GoFundMe has been created to help with Mason’s medical expenses.