Benefit concert to be held for Wengert
The band County Red will be performing a benefit concert for Dallin Wengert on Friday, March 21 at the Kent Concert Hall. Wengert is a pre-veterinary science student from USU who was in a car accident nine months ago and has since made what some call a miraculous recovery.
Wengert was driving from Nibley to USU’s animal science farm on U.S. Highway 89/91 near 3600 South when he pulled in front of another car and was struck on the passenger side.
“All of this, I have no memory of,” Wengert said. “There are months before the accident and months after the accident that I don’t remember anything. This is all from my wife.”
His wife, Amy Wengert, witnessed the crash because she was following him in another car. Amy was pregnant at the time.
Having seen pictures from after the crash, Wengert said the entire passenger side of the car was gone.
Wengert was taken to the Logan Regional Hospital temporarily and was later flown to McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden because of his critical condition.
He was in a coma for two weeks, and the doctors told Wengert’s family that he was in a vegetative state.
Wengert came out of his coma and was transferred to the Barrow Neurological Institute in Arizona where he participated in speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and neuropsychology.
“If it would have taken 10 years to get to my point, that would have been a miracle,” he said. “But to do it in less than nine months, not that it’s over, but it’s been extremely rapid for the situation.”
After his treatments finished in February, he and his wife and son – who was born Dec. 31 – moved back to Logan with the hopes that Wengert could complete his degree.
“Last semester they put me on an online class – one that I’ve taken before – just to see where I was,” Wengert said. “I got much better grade than the last time I took the class.”
Wengert is taking an online class with the USU Extension program and said it is going well. Wengert plans on returning to on campus classes next fall, but he probably won’t take a full load of courses.
Since the family’s return to Logan, Wengert was given his old job back at a sheep farm.
To help him pay some of the medical costs, the College Agriculture and Applied Sciences Department is hosting a concert to raise money for the family.
“We wanted to do something to help, and we heard from our students that they wanted a country night,” said Sara Clicchia, service vice president of CAAS. “So we thought it would be fun to combine the events and make it a concert for him.”
Wengert said he is excited for the concert and has been listening to County Red’s songs online. He said it is unreal to have a concert in his name.
“When I think about it, I see the flier and I see my name at the top of it, I think, ‘Woah, that’s my name. Why?'” Wengert said. “People are so nice. Their generosity has been so incredible.”
Beth Johnson, the CAAS Student Council president, said all proceeds from the concert will to to the Wengert family.
“The College of Ag is there for their students, and the student council is there for their students,” Johnson said. “We are honored to do that for him and his family.”
Wengert said he would like to thank everyone for how much they’ve helped the family between Logan, the university and the college.
“It’s been amazing, the help that people have given us,” Wengert said. “That itself is incredible because it is definitely not cheap.”
The concert will be held Friday at the Kent Concert Hall. Tickets for students are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. and the doors open at 6 p.m.
– morgan.pratt.robinson@gmail.com
Twitter: @MorganPRobinson