Air Force Veteran and family face mounting medical bills after a sudden spinal cord injury

A Garner family calls retired Air Force Master Sgt. Tim Moreland the strong rock of their family and a gentle giant. After leaving the military life, he continued his fitness routine.

Now a sudden accident has left him hospitalized with a spinal cord injury. A week ago the 62 year old was alone, lying down, feeling a bit under the weather. When he got up, his whole life changed in an instant.

"I don’t know if he stood up too quick or something, but he kind of just passed out and fell backwards, and like the worst happened, I guess," said Moreland’s son, Matthew Moreland.

He said his father broke his neck and separated his spinal cord. It left him with only some mobility in his left arm. "So I’m in the hospital right now, so we’ve been in the hospital for a week," said the younger Moreland.

His wife and family remain by his side to encourage him. His son says his dad was always the strong one and the gentle giant of the family.

Matthew Moreland said, "So I think this makes it almost doubly hard for him. We’re hoping for, you know, any mobility he can get back. It’s a long journey ahead of us and my mom’s thinking about quitting her job as she tries to take care of him."

They are a strong and proud Air Force family. "My mom was also in the Air Force. My brother is currently in the Air Force." said Moreland.

He says the hardest part for all of them is knowing their strong father must now depend on others. "It’s hard. It’s definitely devastating to all of us and our world is flipping upside down right now, but we’re a pretty strong family and we have a pretty good support system, so we’re determined to make it through, however best we can," said Moreland.