HUNTSVILLE TIMES

Thursday, May 23, 1957

Traffic Injuries Fatal To Boy, 17

Gurley Pupil Succumbs At Hospital In Spite Of Use Of Iron Lung

An effort to save the life of a young traffic accident victim with the iron lung from the Fire Department was made here yesterday afternoon, but Alton Wayne Byrd, 17, died at 3:20 p.m. at the Huntsville Hospital.

He suffered a fractured skull and other injuries early yesterday morning in a head on collision with a truck on County Roads 61, which leads into Big Cove off Highway 431, South.

When the young man’s condition took a turn for the worse yesterday afternoon and his breathing was affected, only firemen rushed the iron lung to the hospital, but its use was unable to prevent his death.

The young man was a pupil at Madison County High School, Gurley, and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Lee BYRD, Route 1, Owens Cross Roads. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. (DST) Friday at the Big Cove Holiness Church and interment will be in Neal’s Cemetery with Laughlin-Service Funeral Home in charge.

Surviving besides the parents are three brothers, J. W. BYRD, Sammy BYRD and Ronald BYRD at home; five sisters, Mrs. James E. COWAN of Huntsville, Mrs. William KNIGHT of Chattanooga, Jane Phyllis BRYD and Mary BYRD, all at home.