A Lakeside man is showing encouraging signs of recovery after a motorcycle crash in mid-June left him with injuries his family feared he might not survive, according to ABC 10News.

Matthew Harger, 20, was riding home from a family friend’s house in Campo when he crashed on Buckman Springs Road near Cameron Truck Trail, the station reported. Passing drivers found him in the road about 15 feet from his motorcycle, and the cause of the crash remains unclear.

Harger, who was wearing a helmet, was airlifted to a San Diego hospital with a massive brain bleed, skull fractures and upper-chest injuries, according to the report. His sister, Jeanette Aishman, told ABC 10News that doctors initially told the family to prepare for the worst.

The family later saw hopeful signs after sedation was reduced and Harger opened his eyes, according to the station. ABC 10News reported that he later lifted his arm to hug his sister and laughed last Saturday, while his long-term prognosis remains unknown.

For Santee and East County readers, the crash is also a reminder of the risks on rural roads that connect Lakeside, Campo and the mountain communities. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Harger with medical and other expenses, according to ABC 10News.