Please pray for my son and his buddies
On Saturday we were having a little family get together in Mt. Pleasant. Our son Casey has just recently returned from Afghanistan so we were welcoming him home. Caseys little brother, our 14 year old son Bryan was out playing football with his two buddies Josh and Wyatt. Bryan and his buddies are friends from early elementary school and we consider both Josh and Wyatt part of our family. Both grandmas and grandpas were there, along with my nephew John and sister in law Kathy. And good ole Uncle Mike was there as well. The adults were finishing eating and having some good family conversation when all of a sudden Josh came rushing in.
"Bryan and Wyatt were just hit by a car and Bryan is lying in the road!!!" Josh hollered in a panic stricken voice.
In an instant Casey was out the door followed by Dawn, Uncle Mike, Josh and myself.
As I neared the highway I could see Bryan lying in the street. Dawn immediately broke Dawn as she rushed to Bryan. There was a young man by Bryans head talking to him as I approached. I looked over and saw Wyatt standing just a few feet away, he had quite a bit of blood on him and was obviously in shock. Just behind Wyatt was a sedan size car with the windshield smashed. Traffic was beginning to back up so Uncle Mike and I started directing traffic to prevent any further accidents.
Several people had gathered around as the police and emergency personal arrived. The young man who had been steadying Bryans head stayed by his side the entire time until the paramedics took over. The police took over directing traffic so I rushed back to the boys.
Josh was still obviously in shock and couldn't really say a whole lot about what he had just witnessed. Medics were putting Wyatt on a back board getting him ready to head to the hospital. I spoke with Wyatt, who was very alert but really banged up and in shock. He and Josh both had a pale whiteish grey pastey look to them , with a somewhat blank look in their eyes.
Bryans brother Casey was very distraut over the whole scene but kept himself together very well. He was a great help to his mother and little brother through the entire ordeal.
I found the driver of the car and checked to see if he was ok. There was no doubt that he was very shaken. He looked to be a college student and was also most likely in shock over what had just happened. He felt so bad, and showed honest concern about the welfare of Wyatt and Bryan. After reassuring him that we knew it was not his fault I asked him what happened.
"I just remember there was suddenly two kids looking into my windshield when ," as the driver pointed toward Wyatt and said in a calm but terrified voice "he came flying up over the hood and into the windshield, while the other one disappeared."
Both Wyatt and Bryan had taken a direct shot to the shins by a car that was probably doing 35 - 40 mph. Wyatt went airborn and hit the hood before smashing into the windshield then coming off the car. Bryan was instantly slammed into the pavement.
I went back to Bryans side and tried to keep him calm. This time I really took a good look at my son lying there on the street. He was covered in blood. The left side of his body had definitely received a hard hit from the car and the pavement. Bryan had been knocked out of his shoes and was lying there with one foot propped up. He now had a neck collar on and was being asked all kinds of questions by the EMTs. His leg had a peculiar bend in it about half way up the shin which looked quite obvious to me was a broken leg. Bryan was also complaining of a lot of pain in his left arm as I tried to hold his hand. I took a look and could see swelling already starting to show in the area of his left shoulder. He started to repeat himself and ask the same question which really scared me. I asked him if his head hurt at all and he said yes on the back left. I could then see blood on the road under his head.
The medics told Bryan they were going to have to lay his leg flat to put him on the stretcher so I moved around to his right side and told him to squeeze my hand. I can tell you that boy has a grip. He moaned loudly as they lowered his baddly injured leg to the pavement and Bryan nearly crushing my hand in the process. As Bryan and Wyatt were loaded into ambulances I reassured Josh that his buddies would be alright as we headed for the hospital.
Wyatts parents arrived at the Mt. Pleasant hospital just before Dawn and I were ready to leave with Bryan. Wyatt was really beat up and had taken a hard hit but had no broken bones or internal injuries so he was going to be released later that evening. Bryan had an obvious head injury so the doctors in the ER at Mt. Pleasant were not worrying about the leg and the arm, he was being transported immediately to Covenant Hospital Trauma center in Saginaw.
The trauma staff was ready and waiting as Bryan was wheeled into the ER at Covenant. He was immediately swarmed by hospital staff of all kinds. Instant xrays in the room immediately revealed a two broken bones in the lower left leg. Both the tibia and fibula in his shin had been broken when hit by the car. Another xray showed his upper arm, the humerous, had broken just below the ball that goes into the shoulder socket. Even though Bryan was alert and joked about breaking his arm not being very humerous, the main concern was still his head. He was continuing to repeat himself and was not aware of who was with him or what had really happened. He was taken for a full CT scan of his entire upper body just shortly after arriving in Saginaw. Then came the longest few hours in my life.
Even after he was brought back from the CT we were not sure how bad his head injury was. We were just waiting for the test to be read and tell us that our boy was going to be alright. While we waited for test results we stayed by Bryans side as nurses were constantly in and out checking on him. He joked alot and was obviously thirsty was still not sure what had happened and repeatedly asked us about it. There were times when in less then a minute he would ask us what happened 3 or 4 times. He always new his name and the year, and some of the other questions the staff regularly asked but somethings like where he was, what had happened, and even what day it was were things he could not recall. It really shook him up each time we told him that he and Wyatt had been hit by a car and Josh saw it happen. Every time he asked if he could have a drink and I had to tell him know hurt his mom and I deeply. He had know clue that we had just answered that same question 20 or more times. He had broken bones and we had to tell him over and over why he hurt so bad. Dawn and I both cried often until they came back with the CT results.
Finally the main doctor came in and informed us that it was just a pretty bad concusion. The doctor said that childrens concusion often recover quickly and that Bryans head injury should be fine. Dawn and I were so releaved and could not believe how true the doctor was as we watched our son improve over the following 12 hours. Sunday morning he could actually recall that his girlfriend and her mom had visited and he remembered his cousins being there. Before we knew it he remembered that it had happened with his buddies and that they had been hit by a car in Mt. Pleasant. Now he remembers pretty much all of it except a short period right at the time of the accident
All 3 will recover fine as they are tough boys but there is still a long road ahead for each of them.
Josh has, in the last year and a half, witness not only his close friends, but also his little brother get hit by a car. He has been shaken and will likely never forget what he has seen. Josh was so wonderful for being able to keep his head and come in immediately to let us know what had happened.
Wyatt was hit by a car. I mean how much more can you say. That has to be traumatizing. I feel so bad trying to imagine what must be going on in his head.
Bryan will also be alright but also has a long road to complete recovery as he is broken up pretty bad. Yesterday he had surgery to repair his shoulder and seems to be doing well today. They had to put a pin, and I think some screws in his arm. He will be in the hospital for about another week because later this week he is having another surgery to repair the bones in his leg. Then of course there will be lots of physical therapy. But he will be fine.
Casey. My son Casey. To have gone and served your country and come back to see this must be terrible. I know that brought back things still fresh in your mind from Afghanistan but you really showed how much of a man you have become. You kept your composure and were there for your brother and mother and I. It is such a great feeling to see how much you and Matthew love your little brother. The world needs more people like you. You know I am always here for you. I love you my son.
Dawn. I wish I could take all this away from you. It hurt so bad to see you out there in the street looking over our little boy. You are an amazing mother and wife. I honestly do not believe I could go through this without you. Thank you for being there for all of us, and especially Bryan. You know I truly love you with all my heart and will always be here for you.
Bryan. You really scared me son. When I saw you lying in the street I didn't know if you were ok. I have been frightened before but I have never been so scared in my life. It is a picture in my mind that will never be forgotten and I hope you never have to see anything like it. You are a good kid and it was a simple mistake. I am sure a mistake that you will never forget, but it really was just a mistake. You will be fine, it might take a while but you will be fine. Just know that no matter how long it takes, I am here for you.
My love and thanks to all my friends and family.
