A New Jersey family’s vacation turned tragic when a shard of a badminton racket broke off and pierced their six-year-old daughter’s skull, leading to her death.
Little Lucy Morgan died Wednesday, June 5, 2024, four days after the shocking freak accident on what was supposed to be an idyllic lakeside trip in Limerick, Maine.
The tragedy occurred on Saturday, June 1, as the Morgan family of six enjoyed their last full day at their rental cottage. “We were having a quick lunch by the lake when the kids decided to play badminton in the front yard. My wife and I were relaxing when we suddenly heard screaming,” wrote Jesse Morgan, Lucy’s father, on his blog titled “Calamity Strikes.”
Sitting on the sidelines, Lucy was struck by the aluminum shaft of the racket, which had dislodged from its wooden handle during a downward swing by her 10-year-old brother. The shaft penetrated her skull, resulting in a catastrophic injury.
According to law enforcement officials, Lucy was breathing but unresponsive when EMS took her to a nearby hospital. She was then flown to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where surgeons removed a portion of her skull to reduce the pressure. “She was taken immediately to surgery, where they removed part of her skull to treat her injury and relieve pressure,” explained Jesse Morgan.
Despite the surgery, Lucy lost all brain function and could not breathe on her own. Doctors told the family that her chances of recovery were very slim due to the extent of her injuries. Lucy passed away around 4 a.m. on Wednesday, a day after doctors predicted she would not survive.
Jesse Morgan expressed his heartache during the 350-mile journey back to New Jersey without Lucy, writing, “Every time I looked in the rearview mirror, I longed to see Lucy munching on chicken nuggets after we stopped at Wendy’s and only ordered for five.”
Lucy’s siblings, Silas (10), Shiloh (8), and Atticus (4), are struggling with the loss and feeling responsible. The brother who unintentionally caused the fatal injury wondered to his grieving parents, “How could we ever be happy again?”
The Morgans found comfort in Lucy’s prayer journal, where she had drawn pictures and written about her faith. Just weeks before the accident, Lucy had asked her mother how to “be with God and be saved.” She later prayed and documented her love for God through words and illustrations in her journal.
Lucy’s father described her as having a “bubbly” and “outspoken” personality. He shared that the family had been on the first week of his sabbatical, and Lucy had said it was the “best week of her life.”
A funeral service for Lucy is scheduled for June 15 at Green Pond Bible Chapel in Rockaway Township, New Jersey, where Jesse Morgan is a pastor.
A GoFundMe campaign to support the family has already raised over $123,000.
