Richland mechanic beat cancer, now he’s healing after being crushed by a truck

Tom Lackey is fighting again to get his life back.

The 51-year-old Richland mechanic was rebuilding his business after battling his way through cancer when a customer crushed him against a repair shop wall with a pickup truck.

Police believe the 77-year-old driver intended to hit the brake instead of the gas, but the collision left Lackey seriously hurt.

“Miraculously, my brother survived. He surprised the doctors,” his sister Terri Loomis told the Tri-City Herald. “It helped that his shop was only three minutes from the hospital.”

“Unfortunately, both of Tom’s arms were severely injured. He is a mechanic and his hands are vital to earn his income,” his daughter Ellen Lackey posted on GoFundMe. “He will be doing long-term physical therapy to regain the use of his hands and fingers.”

Lackey was directing a Chevrolet Avalanche into a bay at his shop, Tommy’s Garage, on May 26 when the driver hit the gas, pinning him to the wall.

Richland police estimate the impact was at about 15 mph in the garage on Williams Boulevard near the Uptown Shopping Center.

He broke both collarbones, 14 ribs and his right arm. Also, his lung collapsed, and several muscles were torn.

While he didn’t suffer any lower body or head injuries, he’s already undergone three surgeries, said Loomis.

The GoFundMe will help cover medical and living costs for the lifelong mechanic while his shop is closed down while he recovers.

A lifetime of fixing cars

Lackey has been a mechanic his entire life. He grew up in Alaska and started fixing RC cars when he was 13, his sister said.

That developed into a broader love of cars, she said. He raced circle track cars with his dad and worked as a mechanic before moving to the Tri-Cities about 14 years ago.

He was diagnosed with cancer two years ago. Once it was remission, he was rebuilding his business and starting to be successful when the crash happened, said Loomis.

Now Lackey, the father of two and expecting his first grandchild, is faced with recovery while hoping that he can keep his house.

“After his hospital stay, he will be transferred to a rehabilitation center to continue treatment,” his sister said. “We do not know what life will look like after all is said and done, but we remain hopeful, optimistic and prayerful.”