A North Idaho mother and her young son are facing an extended road to recovery after a serious ATV crash on Memorial Day left both with significant injuries on a remote stretch of Bunco Road in Shoshone County.
Sara Weiss of Hayden and her 11-year-old son Bentley were riding together when the accident occurred near mile marker 14. According to the family, a sister-in-law was riding ahead of them when Weiss swerved to avoid a collision. The ATV struck a stump, spun sideways, and rolled down a bank. Bentley was hit by the rolling vehicle, and Weiss was pinned beneath it.
A Mother’s Instinct Drives Her Through the Worst
Weiss was knocked unconscious for approximately five minutes. When she came to, with her son injured and the two of them stranded on a mountain, she made the decision to get Bentley off the terrain herself — driving the damaged ATV a mile and a half back to camp while holding him.
“My goal was to get him off that mountain,” Weiss said. “I picked him up and held him like a baby, I got back on that broken quad and drove the mile and a half back to camp.”
Bentley was subsequently airlifted to a hospital in Seattle, where he traveled with his father. Weiss was treated at a local hospital, spending roughly half a day there before being discharged. The injuries she sustained were nevertheless severe: a radial break in her right shoulder and herniated discs in her back. She is also undergoing additional MRI evaluation on her knee to determine whether she suffered ACL or MCL damage.
Bentley’s condition has shown some improvement in the weeks since the crash. He has progressed from a cast to a walking boot, though his full recovery is still ongoing.
Financial Strain Compounds Physical Toll
The physical recovery has been only part of the challenge for the Weiss family. Sara works as a server, a job that depends heavily on the use of her right arm — the same arm now compromised by the shoulder fracture. She has been unable to return to work, leaving the family relying on a single income.
“It’s going to be a while before I can physically use my right arm to do my job, so I’m training myself to use my left side to do what I would do with my right side,” Weiss said.
The combination of mounting medical bills, lost income, and ongoing care needs prompted the family to launch a GoFundMe campaign to help cover expenses during recovery. As of this report, the campaign had raised approximately $2,805 toward an $18,000 goal.
ATV and off-road vehicle accidents remain a consistent source of serious trauma injuries across North Idaho, particularly in the rugged terrain of the Panhandle region. Crashes involving rollovers — as occurred with the Weiss family — carry heightened risk due to the potential for occupants to be struck or pinned by the vehicle itself. Readers interested in similar public safety incidents in the region can review coverage of a recent fatal multi-vehicle crash on US-95 near Sandpoint that also highlighted the consequences of roadway accidents across Bonner and surrounding counties.
What Comes Next
For Bentley, continued rehabilitation in his walking boot marks a cautiously encouraging step forward. For Sara, the timeline remains less certain. Her shoulder injury will likely require extended rest and possibly physical therapy before she can return to her job in a full capacity. The MRI results on her knee will further define the scope of her recovery.
The family is continuing to accept support through their GoFundMe campaign as they navigate a difficult summer. Those in the Hayden and broader North Idaho community looking to help can search for the campaign by the family’s name.
The crash serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with off-road riding in mountainous terrain — and of the swift, instinctive courage that family bonds can summon even in the most dire circumstances.