HANCOCK COUNTY — The pastor at New Life Christian Fellowship in Fortville says the church family will do all it can to help its pastor of compassion ministries, Chris Braschler, recover from the devastating car crash during the weekend in which his wife, Sandra, lost her life.
The head-on collision happened Sunday night, Sept. 5, on County Road 300N near the intersection of County Road 800W. Chris, 61, Greenfield, who is legally blind, was critically injured in the crash but has since battled back following surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.
Mark Adcock, the lead pastor at New Life Christian Fellowship, visited with Chris at the hospital Tuesday morning and said he thinks Chris will be able to make it back physically. But Adcock knows the emotional toll will be difficult.
“It’s a terrible, tragic loss for Chris and the church,” Adcock said. “She did an awful lot for him, being his eyes in many ways. Physically, he’s showing great resilience. Emotionally, we just don’t know yet, but we believe he will recover.”
Chris underwent surgery Monday on his leg and is listed in stable condition, Adcock said.
Chris came to the Fortville church via a merger with the First Church of God in Greenfield in 2015. Adcock said the Braschlers were nothing but supportive of the union between the two churches and that Chris had become a huge part of New Life Christian Fellowship.
“I think the words ‘humble servants’ describe them the best,” Adcock said.
Chris’ service dog, Iggy, who was also in the crash, survived without any injuries and was able to visit Chris in the hospital along with the couple’s two sons, Ryan and Jacob Braschler, and Chris’ mother.
“We’re all kind of in a state of limbo right now as far as what is going to happen with Chris,” Adcock said. “We’re waiting to see what type of decisions the family is going to make now as far as his future and where they go from here.”
Adcock noted Sandra — who went by Sandy — was a licensed family and marriage therapist but was suffering through some of her own health issues. “But, still if there was a need and she was available, she tried and was there for people,” Adcock said.
It’s been a nothing but a “blessing” having both Chris and Sandra as part of the New Life family over the past six years since the two churches merged, Adcock said.
“I remember the first day I met them when they came here to our church and we started talking about the merger,” Adcock said. “They pledged to me they would be nothing but supportive and that they would follow my leadership and they’ve been so incredibly humble and supportive in every step of our journey.”
Adock, who lost both of his parents to COVID-19 in 2020, said both Chris and Sandra helped his family at a difficult time. Now, he said, it’s his turn to help Chris as much as he and the church family can.
