Sawmill victim friends raising money for his recovery

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Friends of the 20-year-old victim, Eric Jones, who fell into the operating saw at the sawmill on Monday, are raising money to help with his recovery.

On Monday morning, Eric Jones fell into the operating saw at the SWS Sawmill on Highway 3 near International Paper. Jones suffered devastating injuries, including the loss of his left arm in the incident. Fire Medic Zach Hearn was one of the first to arrive at the accident scene. Hearn was able to initiate life-saving techniques that resulted in Jones surviving the horrific accident.

Today, his former employer, Divine Donuts, and his friends has started a GoFundMe to assist Jones with his long road to recovery. In their statement, they said:

To Our Beloved Divine Donuts Community,

If you’ve visited Divine Donuts anytime in the past four and a half years, chances are you were warmly welcomed by Eric Jones — an energetic young man with a big smile, a love for motorcycles, and a heart full of joy. His blonde hair and contagious enthusiasm were as much a part of our shop as the donuts themselves.

On Monday, October 6th, our hearts were broken as we learned that Eric, now 20 years old, was involved in a devastating accident at a sawmill. While Eric had recently moved on from Divine Donuts to pursue new opportunities, he remained part of our family — and we continued to cheer him on as he grew both professionally and spiritually.

Eric is now facing a long and difficult road to recovery. The accident resulted in the loss of his left arm, as well as significant injuries to his ribs, intestine, and leg. His journey ahead will be marked by many challenges, but we know the strength of his spirit — and the power of our God.

Today, we come to you not just as a local business, but as a family asking for prayers, support, and love for one of our own. We ask you to join us in lifting Eric up — in prayer for healing, in hope for strength, and, if you’re able, through financial support to help with the mounting medical expenses he now faces.

We have been serving breakfast to this incredible community since 1978, and time and again, you have shown us what it means to care for one another. We know you’ll do the same for Eric — just as he greeted you with kindness and laughter during his time with us.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of this family.

With love and gratitude,

The Divine Donuts Team

If you’d like to donate, you can click this link.