Matt & Angela Berry had one of their oldest girls just about drowned in the yellowstone river on sunday august 4th at 6pm. Matt started working with Mid-Rivers Communications this spring as a temporary, his family moved from Kalispell to Miles City to hopefully gain full-time employment with Mid-Rivers Communications, as of now his family Wife Angela two daughters Chava age 14 Shosana age 10 & son Justus age 8 are living in their 5th wheel at a trailer court until a full time opening opens. Last night at 6pm the Berry family was enjoying the weather and family time when the two girls were playing in the water where it was shallow when both girls stepped into a deep channel with strong currents and took them under water and down river at a fast rate, the two girls fought with all their might to stay above water while Matt tried to rescue them,two other men down river seen the girls struggling and the oldest girl Chava was losing her strength to stay above water as the strong current continued to pull them under, the two men as of this time are unknown, (please contact Matt and Angela they really want to thank you two in person) they rescued the two girls and got them to shore and safety, Chava was taken to St. Vincent Pediatric ICU unit room 447 in billings and is fighting to recover...The Berry family has no medical insurance or emergency money to live off while they stay in Billings and while Matt is off work. Matt has no vacation, sick leave or benefits while a temporary employee, The Berry family is too proud to ask for any help especially as a new member to the community of miles city, please show the Berry family that we as members of Miles City are all family and friends and we take care of each other when in need with out asking! thats just our home town spirit as a community! I'm trying to start up a donation for them to help with time loss to work, medical expense and time spent in Billings please feel free to contact me to help with the procedures on starting a donation and how to get a account or escrow to put donations in and where to put them....I'm sure their is a safe and legal way to make sure it is give to them with out any problems, I also need some one that has been thru this and knows the best way to start up a donation! please send your sincere to the Berry family! here is Matts cell# 406-210-8162 he does have texting. Here is my cell# and also text, Dan Waits 406-853-0236 or email me at [email protected] for ANY HELP on helping them out, my wife and I have given Matt $500.00 to help with motel and meals while in Billings. P.S Matt daily wages is an average of $180. a day this what he is missing without working I am currently checking with our company to see if we can donate any of out vacation/sick days to him. Thank you very much Miles City! Dan W

You should have them get in touch with Ronald McDonald House etc.. The hospital should have someone to help also.

We have set up a donation jar at Miles City Liquors. Stop by to help out the Berry Family.

thank you that was great! I passed on the info and they got it set up, any one can donate to the Berry family to help with the cost of thrir stay at the Ronald McDonald House the cost is $15.00 a night and that don't include meals, the address of the Ronald McDonald House is 1144 north 30th street Billings,Mt 59101 and phone number is 406-256-8006 just tell them its for the Berry family! also we can buy them a walmart gift card, albertson gift card, fuel cards....any amount, and have it sent to Ronald McDonald or Matt and Angela's home address which is P.O Box 593 miles city, Mt 59301. Marry from the Montana Liquor store has a donation location set up at her buisness. Also even a get well card or just a simple were thinking of you and your family is a BIG GIFT!! sometimes that pat on the back or a hand on the shoulder means more than anything!! Your "AWESOME" Miles City!and the surounding areas!

i got an update on being able to donate any of my vacation/sick time to Matt and its a no-go...but our company dont take no for an answer! Mid-rivers is going to get something up on our Ad channel, and use our social media connections to get the word out as well! also please give a prayer to our general manager Bill Wade and April Phalen they were involved in a head-on collision while traveling from Circle to Glendive late Friday afternoon. the collision occured about a mile east of Lindsay and involved two other vehicled. thankfully, no one was killed but the injuries to both Bill Wade and April phalen are not life threatening..Bill was transported from the accident scene to glendive medical center and than flown to St. Vincent hospital in billings, the latest update was that Bill has several cracked vertebrae in his back and broken bones in his left foot and ankle ( i think his left) yesterday physical therapists and occupational therapists were able to assist Bill in sitting up and standing up at the edge of his hospital bed. because he was able to do this,they were also able to do more X-rays on his back/spine and the Dr's will be determining if surgery will be necessary on his back. Bill is a tough farm boy and please keep him and his family in your prayers throughout his recovery!

Dan,
I am not from Miles City, I am currently from Colorado, however I originally a Glendivian. I heard about this story from a friend who put it on Facebook. Do you know if there is any way I can do my part to help out this family. I know that there are donation spots around Miles City but that kinda makes it difficult for me. Is there going to be any kind of online donation fund or a bank fund that someone can call in and donate?

Hi Jennifer, I don't have anything set up at a bank or such....what a good idea! I'll have to talk to my bank and see what I need to do to get it started, as for now Jennifer Matt's cell # is 496-210-8162 their home address is P.O Box 593 Miles City 59301 Jennifer thanks a bunch for your concern from far away from your old stomping grounds! I'm so amazed by all of us Americans how we are so connected when in tough times! I'm going to take your advice and see what I can do to get a online account set up in their name. If you or anyone has advice for me or want to help me with this I'd sure love it....I'm just swinging as the ball fly by hoping to connect with one! I've never done this type of community service before so please forgive my ignorance!

If anyone needs to get ahold of me to give me advice or to help me set up a donation please feel free to email or call me my email is [email protected] or cell # 406-853-0236 or send me a text please! Thanks Dan Waits

Sorry I can't help personally, being that I live in Helena.

But rest assured, I WILL be voting in the next election AGAINST every Republican GOP rat bastard, so that we can FINALLY fund Obamacare and let this poor family get the proper care they deserve, instead of relying on these well-meaning but virtually meaningless (as far as cash raised versus real-life medical bills) fundraising efforts.

I urge everyone who reads this, to join me, and support the less-enfranchised into getting a little help from their friends and neighbors.

Gunnar:
I don't think this is the place for political rhetoric. This is a family in need. Let's come together and help them as a community, country or whatever and leave the political BS for another forum.

Really Gunnar? These people are hurt and are in need of help. I'll pitch in

hello every one I have some good news! Chava is doing better as of 8am today she is doing a little better, a lot more lucid! still not sure if they will take the breathing tube out today but its looking as Chava is full of confidence! Matt sent me a pic of a cute letter she wrote to everyone it says..THANK YOU EVERY ONE FOR TAKING CARE OF ME LOVE CHAVA! i dontr know how to post the pic on this web sight but ill post it soon on my facebook so you all can see it! ALSO I set up an account for people to donate...its set up at stockman bank under..CHAVA BERRY BENEFIT FUND...you can call,walk-in or send any amount to the CHAVA BERRY BENEFIT FUND...you can do this at ANY STOCKMAN BANK! if you dont live neer a stockman bank you can mail a check or money order! also I am meeting with Mistica Hisdahl from circle and were goin to get a PayPal account set up for those who want to donate thru PayPal Thanks Every One!

Here is a picture of the letter from Chava, Dan is talking about.

I'm so glad to hear Chava is doing better. Still praying for a full recovery. Dan, thank you for setting up the account at Stockman. Ill get my check in the mail today. I've never done the fund raiser stuff myself either but I did know that banks are willing to set up fund accounts. I may be a Coloradoan now, but my heart will always be in Montana. So anything I can do to help out a family in need. Anyway Dan, please keep us updated on how this family is doing. I'll be keeping them all in my prayers.

St. Vincent pediatrics is an amazing place. They saved my grandson's life and I will be forever grateful. I know they will take excellent care of Chava and she will recover soon! Sending lots of good thoughts to her and her family.

Thanks for making the information available, Dan. For the future, have the Berry family check into the CHIP program for MT kids under 19 years. And...hopefully...for the future, we will be able to have the Healthcare that is so badly needed. Ditto to Gunnar...and, that was not political..it was factual. So great that little Chava is doing better.

Healthy Montana Kids, aka CHIP, is at hmk.mt.gov. (http://www.hmk.mt.gov) Best wishes to the Berry family!

We all appreciate the information on the Berry family and all the updates on Chava! Thank you Dan for taking this upon yourself to help this family out and bring the need to our attention. I do not know the family personally but I know we are all affected by this as if we were family. That's what's so wonderful about our community. They can check in at St. Vincent de Paul for help with either gas to Billings or possible other help. The hospital has funds for people without insurance that the family can apply for. They were wonderful when my son had recent heart surgery. I'm sure there will be a major outpouring of support and love as there already has been. Prayers are important and if someone can't afford to donate money, they can do that. Thank you to Merry at Miles City Liquors and to the men who heroically saved the girls! Please keep us updated on ways we can all help out Dan!

Glad to hear the good news. Best luck to the Berry family.

Thank you, Jeri, for actually reading what I posted instead of lashing out. I sincerely want to promote literacy in Miles City, as I am a CCDFHS graduate.

I met Angela today. What a sweet woman. They took Chava off the ventilator this morning and she is doing much better.

Dan wnated me to post this picture of Chava, she is awake and happy to see mom and dad. This was at 8:00 p.m. they don't know when she will be released yet.

As a provider who accepts Montana Medicaid hmk plus and chips hmk, I know that If you apply for Medicaid on august 30 they will backdate to the beginning of the month and cover the medical expenses. This is HUGE for this family. The absolute most essential thing that needs to get done is get that application in!

Carri will you please call me when you have time, and give me the details on how to apply for this!

also I had a GREAT lady from circle named Mistica that help me set up a facebook donation page for Chava you can use your PayPal account to donate...CHAVA BERRY BENEFIT PAGE and the email to donate to [email protected] Thank you Mistica your so AWESOME!!!!

Here's the Montana website with information about applying for free or low-cost health insurance for kids:

http://hmk.mt.gov

There might be someone at St. Vincent Hospital that can assist the Berrys with getting their application in ASAP. I would start with the billing department.

I'm Chava's mothers Aunt Terry I called the bank, was given this address for donation.. Stockman Bank 700 Main Street Miles City, MT 59301.. Please make checks payable to the Chava Berry Benefit Fund. Thank You to every for keeping Chava in your prays & for the donation that the family has been receiving. Thank You so very much!!

https://www.facebook.com/...159194393/

Good job everyone. I will be sending a check to Stockman.