A Freeland firefighter injured in a one-car accident last week remains in serious condition.

Jon Shields is suffering from a brain injury in the intensive care unit of Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Shields, 22, was injured about 5:40 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 3 when his car hit a power pole and was flown by an Airlift Northwest helicopter to Harborview Medical Center.

His family, along with a number of firefighters and emergency medical technicians, have stayed at his side all week. His brother-in-law, Darin Reid, a fire chief from Camano Island and former firefighter on South Whidbey, is maintaining a Website with updates on Shields’ medical condition.

The news has alternated between good and bad since the accident last week. For the family sitting by Shields’ bedside, it has been a series of highs and lows and according to Reid near exhaustion for Connie Shields, Jon Shields’ mother.

“We’ve gotten over some major humps, but there is still a long ways to go,” Reid said during a telephone interview Monday.

“Jon is being kept in a pharmaceutical coma to keep the inter-cranial pressure down and allow his brain time to heal. We think he would be more reactive without the sedatives,” Reid said.

“If his cranial pressure is down by Wednesday a ventilator — a breathing tube into the neck — may replace the tracheotomy tube, which will ease stress on his vocal chords,” Reid said.

Reid, who is married to Shields’ sister Stephanie, said his brother-in-law is suffering from pneumonia and a localized staph infection.

“There has been good news,” Reid said.

“He is actually following some commands such as wiggling his fingers when asked and he is also opening his eyes more often,” Reid reported Tuesday morning.

On Sunday, Shields opened his eyes and tried to sit up.

“What this tells us is that once they are able to take Jon off of the sedatives, he will start to respond more and have more control over his body,” Reid explained.

“We need to keep him on the sedative for now for his brain to continue healing and for the inter-cranial pressure to stay at a safe level, but we did get a brief glimpse of what is to come in the future. I’d like to think of it as a ‘sign,’ but either way it was a positive look into Jon’s future.”

On Friday morning there was more good news because Shields bent his knee, rested on his foot, then relaxed his leg.

“It doesn’t sound like much, but the nurse said it was purposeful and this was the first purposeful flexing of muscles to date. Jon also at times flinches to touch, which is great,” Reid reported.

The firefighting and emergency services community has rallied around the family. Help and support have come from lots of people and organizations on South Whidbey.

“Jon’s parents are grateful and thankful for the support,” Reid said.

“Bill and I don’t know where or how to begin thanking so many wonderful people. You have no idea how much it helps us to know about all the prayers that are being said for Jon,” Connie Shields said.

“We are heartsick and terrified for our precious boy and I truly don’t think we could get through this without all of you,” Connie Shields wrote in message on the Website dedicated to her son’s recovery.

According to Dan Stout, chief of Fire District 3, the accident has hit the family of firefighters very hard.

“It’s a tragedy and we are all praying for him,” Stout said.

According to the Washington State Patrol, Shields car was traveling northbound on Smugglers Cove Road at Vista Road when it failed to negotiate a curve and left the road.

Shields comes from a family that has made helping others a way of life.

His mother, Connie Shields, is captain of the emergency medical services division for Fire District 3; Bill Stolcis, his stepfather, is a paramedic at Whidbey General Hospital.

“The family has a motel room, in Harbor Towers, available close, but they have not left the hospital waiting room. Connie has had a total of about four hours sleep since responding to the accident,” Reid said.

Shields followed his parents into a career in emergency services. He joined the fire district through the High School Fire Fighter program. He later became a firefighter and an emergency medical technician.

To track Shields’ recovery, visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/jonshields.

Gayle Saran can be reached at 221-53300 or gsaran@southwhidbeyrecord.com.