ELKVIEW, W.Va. -- The Elkview community came out on Saturday to support a man many of them consider a friend, as he recovers from critical injuries after a car struck him in June.

Friends and family of Billy "B.J." Berkhouse held a horseshoe and cornhole tournament at Elkview Middle School to help with immediate expenses. The day's events included a pig roast, raffle and children's games. More than $9,000 was raised.

Berkhouse, 30, was walking along Capitol Street in Charleston on June 7 when a car driven by Melissa Newman of Charleston drove onto the sidewalk, striking him and sending them both to the hospital, according to the Charleston Police Department.

Berkhouse suffered injuries to his left leg, facial fractures and severe head injuries. He later had a stroke and entered a coma.

Berkhouse's condition is improving, but he still has a long recovery ahead of him, his family said Saturday.

"He's started talking a little," said Geneal Berkhouse, his mother. "He told his girlfriend, 'Lindsay, I love you.'"

Berkhouse will probably remain at CAMC General Hospital for the next several months. He does not have medical insurance and Newman, the woman who struck him, has been unable to show proof of insurance.

"His bills could reach a million dollars. People don't think about the hidden costs either, like bills and rent and insurance after," said Lindsay Bolar, Berkhouse's longtime girlfriend.

She established a foundation through BB&T Bank called "The Lindsay Bolar Foundation for B.J. Berkhouse" and friends are organizing a variety of events to continue raising funds.

And support for Berkhouse hasn't just come financially. Friends and family never leave him alone at the hospital, taking turns at his side day and night.

ELKVIEW, W.Va. -- The Elkview community came out on Saturday to support a man many of them consider a friend, as he recovers from critical injuries after a car struck him in June.

Friends and family of Billy "B.J." Berkhouse held a horseshoe and cornhole tournament at Elkview Middle School to help with immediate expenses. The day's events included a pig roast, raffle and children's games. More than $9,000 was raised.

Berkhouse, 30, was walking along Capitol Street in Charleston on June 7 when a car driven by Melissa Newman of Charleston drove onto the sidewalk, striking him and sending them both to the hospital, according to the Charleston Police Department.

Berkhouse suffered injuries to his left leg, facial fractures and severe head injuries. He later had a stroke and entered a coma.

Berkhouse's condition is improving, but he still has a long recovery ahead of him, his family said Saturday.

"He's started talking a little," said Geneal Berkhouse, his mother. "He told his girlfriend, 'Lindsay, I love you.'"

Berkhouse will probably remain at CAMC General Hospital for the next several months. He does not have medical insurance and Newman, the woman who struck him, has been unable to show proof of insurance.

"His bills could reach a million dollars. People don't think about the hidden costs either, like bills and rent and insurance after," said Lindsay Bolar, Berkhouse's longtime girlfriend.

She established a foundation through BB&T Bank called "The Lindsay Bolar Foundation for B.J. Berkhouse" and friends are organizing a variety of events to continue raising funds.

And support for Berkhouse hasn't just come financially. Friends and family never leave him alone at the hospital, taking turns at his side day and night.

"He's just such a great person. He's a jokester, always so much fun, people just love to be around him," Bolar said.

They also post on a Web site created to keep everyone up to date about his condition. Visitors to www.bjberkhouse.com can read frequent updates or leave him messages. Donations also can be left for the foundation online.

Berkhouse's family said they are grateful for all the support from the community, both from his friends and from people who never met him.

Friends who organized Saturday's event had hoped to raise $5,000. About 150 people came during the morning to pitch beanbags or horseshoes or buy chances to win tickets to a concert by the band Poison, a vacation to Ocean City, Md., and gear autographed by football player Owen Schmitt, formerly of Berkhouse's beloved WVU Mountaineers.

The Seattle Seahawks fullback also personalized a football as a gift to Berkhouse.

"He's a WVU fan all the way. In every picture you see, he's got on some kind of WVU gear. He'd probably kick that board if he saw it out here," said his friend Daniel Toney, gesturing to a cornhole board painted with Marshall University's logo.

Toney, a friend since childhood, helped organize Saturday's event.

"I think he knew everybody," said Steve Berkhouse, his brother, surveying the crowd of friends in orange "B.J.'s Pig Roast" T-shirts on Saturday.

"He would really appreciate how everybody came out to help. They say he's always been there for them and now they're here for him too."

Reach Kellen Henry at khe...@wvgazette.com or 348-5179.