On the night of May 1, a single-vehicle crash on the wooded stretch where Merrymans Mill Road meets Poplar Hill Road in Cockeysville left two teens dead and shattered several families' sense of normal. One passenger, 16-year-old Liam O'Donoghue, a Calvert Hall sophomore and junior-varsity rugby player, survived but lost his left arm and suffered serious leg injuries. He was flown to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he has already undergone multiple operations and started the long, grinding process of learning to walk again. In the weeks since the collision, his school, his teammates, and strangers across the Baltimore area have stepped up with fundraisers, visits, and day-to-day support.
How the crash unfolded
According to The Baltimore Banner, Liam managed to call 911 from the wreckage before he was airlifted to Shock Trauma. There, surgeons implanted titanium rods in his femurs, moved muscle to his shoulder, and performed a skin graft to prepare the area for a future prosthetic arm. Six days after the collision, family and friends lined a hospital hallway as Liam said goodbye to his friend Andrew Sober, who was being taken to the operating room as an organ donor, the Banner reported. "We take great comfort that Andrew’s final act of kindness was to donate his vital organs to save multiple lives," Andrew's mother wrote, as quoted by the Banner.
Police say the 2016 Toyota Prius veered off Poplar Hill Road and slammed into a tree at about 9:45 p.m. on May 1. Emergency crews found 18-year-old Ryan Duvall dead at the scene, and 16-year-old Andrew Sober later died of his injuries, authorities told CBS Baltimore. Two other teenagers from the vehicle, 16-year-old Orion Kicklighter and Liam, survived and were transported to hospitals for treatment. Local officials say the crash remains under investigation.
Surgeries and recovery
Local coverage has noted that Liam has already endured several surgeries and is now deep into intensive physical therapy. He has taken his first independent steps and is relearning everyday tasks with one hand, WMAR‑2 News reported. Hospital staff and the family say the immediate target is to get him walking confidently and strong enough for long-term rehab, while they plan prosthetic fittings and home modifications. Medical teams have focused on stabilizing his fractures and shaping his shoulder so a prosthetic can be fitted in the months ahead.
Rugby, funerals and a city that showed up
In a moment that broadcasters called both wrenching and galvanizing, Calvert Hall's JV rugby team had Liam brought to the sidelines of the MIAA JV championship at Mount St. Joseph's in his hospital bed. Teammates and coaches gathered around after the Cardinals beat Archbishop Spalding, CBS Baltimore reported, turning a victory lap into a kind of bedside vigil in the open air. The days around the game were heavy with grief, as community members attended funerals for Ryan and Andrew while simultaneously organizing support for the injured boys and their families. The response ranged from messages by local pro athletes to dozens of offers to help with meals, rides and home repairs.
Price tag and the road ahead
A fundraising page created for Liam has pulled in six figures to help cover prosthetics, travel for medical care and living expenses and, according to The Baltimore Banner, had topped roughly $175,000 by mid May. The Banner notes that advanced prosthetic arms can cost $50,000 to $100,000 each, and that replacement and upkeep over a lifetime could push total costs above $1 million. Coaches, neighbors and local groups are lining up short-term help with meals, home modifications and a summer job for Liam once he is able to work.
Investigation continues
Baltimore County Police say the crash remains under investigation and have asked anyone with information to contact detectives, WMAR‑2 News reported. For now, the family is keeping its attention on the recovery grind: Liam hopes to be home in the coming weeks and, eventually, back on the field wearing Calvert Hall colors.
