Businesses prepare for fundraiser that will benefit two young plane crash survivors

It was a miracle they survived, and as 18-year-old Brody Burnell and 22-year-old Chandler Riesterer continue to recover in the ICU following a plane crash, a community is gathering to help the two, on their road to recovery.

"Both boys had all similar injuries between the head and the lower extremities," said Steve Burnell, Brody's father. "Broken bones and things."

Brody and Chandler were in a single engine plane that crashed last week, near 19th Avenue and Deer Valley. Brody was the pilor.

"I don't like to use 'miracle', but it's -- people are calling and praying from Wisconsin to West Texas to Florida," said Burnell. He also said Brodie met Chandler, another pilot, while working at a chain coffee shop location.

"That's how they met," said Burnell. "Came through the drive-thru, found out they were both pilots, became friends and started flying together."

Now, Brody and Chandler are recovering together, near each other in the ICU. Burnell said Brody's doctors recently worked to lower the swelling in his brain.

"They did a, what they call a craniotomy," said Burnell. "They just took a piece of the skull off, and Mr. Brain is breathing and relaxing, and so , we can put that issue behind us, and move forward with the rest of his recovery"

As for Chandler, his best days happened recently.

"He's had, really, two great days," said Burnell. "His latest battle was Pneumonia, but they brought in a special bed, and was able to move him around and able to help things get better, and they did."

Two fundrasiers are set to take place on Friday for Brody and Chandler.The "Chop" steakhouse in Chandler will donate their proceeds from open to close to Brody. Meanwhile, All Dutch Bros locations in Arizona are accepting donations, and the Dutch Bros off Greyhawk and Scottsdale Road will donate all their proceeds to the two boys.

They both also have GoFundMe pages set up.

Brody Burnell's GoFundMe page
https://www.gofundme.com/bsdf68-brodys-recovery

Chandler Riesterer's GoFundMe page
https://www.gofundme.com/chandlerfund