Community Continues To Raise Money For Families Of Teens Who Fell Through Ice

PARKER, Colo. (CBS4) - On Saturday in Parker a fundraiser took place for the families of two teens who fell through the ice at a retention pond.

Patric Lantz died on Jan. 14 after being stuck underwater for 35 minutes. His friend, Max Gantnier, is still in the hospital.

Parker Mayor Mike Waid has been talking with the Gantnier's step-mother and says the boy is in critical condition. Parts of his body are recovering but others may take several weeks.

"His heart is doing good, lungs still had some fluid in it, his liver still has some challenges, but he still has a lot of medicine in him, so his liver is going to be taking a beating right now, but these are good signs he's getting better," Waid.

A third boy, Cole Robinson, also fell in but was quickly released from the hospital.

The fundraiser was held at the Vehicle Vault Car Museum. One-hundred percent of the sales from the tickets sold will be donated to help Gantnier's family with medical expenses and the Lantz family for funeral expenses.

"I think as a kid growing up I think we all did a lot of things, that by fate, we were just lucky nothing bad ever happened to us," said Brett Ford of Castle Rock who attended the fundraiser.

Two weeks later there has been a never-ending series of fundraisers.

"The small business community and the citizens who live here, they all step up and they see opportunities," Waid said. "Fundraisers happen usually on the fly."

The fundraiser at the Vehicle Vault car museum raised almost $2,000.

"Just heartbreak for the family who lost a child, that's never anything that you expect for anyone to have to endure as a parent to lose a child," Vehicle Vault founder Erin Dilley said.

A pair of GoFundMe campaigns have collected almost $30,000. The mayor thinks more money will be needed for Gantnier's medical bills.

"The families have a lot of expenses going forward, there's a lot of healing that has to happen," Waid said.

Funeral services for Lantz will be held on Tuesday. He was a sophomore at Legend High School.

LINKS: Patric Lantz's GoFundMe Page | Max Gantnier's GoFundMe Page

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Vehicle Vault founder Erin Diley.