2 members of Mexican band whose van crashed in McHenry remain in the hospital; fundraising underway

A band from Mexico whose van crashed in McHenry last week, hospitalizing nine people, is trying to regroup and raise money to help cover medical expenses.

The crash occurred July 12 when the Mexican band La Picosa Hernandez along Route 31 – on the way to Milwaukee after having performed in Aurora – and resulted in nine people being transported to local hospitals.

A person affiliated with the band told Univision Chicago that of those nine injured members, seven have been released from the hospital and returned to Oaxaca, Mexico, on July 15. The other two are in serious condition and in need of surgery.

The band has a GoFundMe and is trying to raise $10,000 toward their medical care and the replacement of work equipment that was damaged.

According to the band’s Facebook page, a benefit concert is also planned for July 18 at Hacienda Chivolin at 5110 W. Loomis Ave. in Greendale, Wisconsin, outside Milwaukee.

The Oaxaca-based group has been performing banda music, a regional Mexican genre, for 30 years.

Band vocalist Daniel Hernandez told Univision that Jesus Ortega and Carlos Cruz remain in the hospital. Another band member stayed behind to be with them. Hernandez said he felt blessed for the second chance he got at life.

“Thank God the 11 of us who have flown back to Mexico are fine, some with bruises and scrapes but nothing serious. We just need to process the bad experience and the scare we went through,” Hernandez said.

Cruz suffered a fracture to his femur but is out of the woods and under observation.

Ortega, a percussionist and the driver of the van, suffered the worst injuries. He was transported via helicopter to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he immediately had surgery.

Hernandez said after the accident, the band members helped one another to get out of the van and looked after each other while rescue came. Bystanders also rendered aid.

Hernandez said for the time being, the group wants to rest and be with family while recuperating. Soon they want to resume the shows already scheduled in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. They hope to do that by the end of August or early September.

The band posted a video on their Facebook page in which members can be seen thanking their fans and followers for their prayers and good wishes. In it, they say they hope to be back on their tour soon.