Family Raises Grandson, Brings Awareness For Special Needs

May 1, 2004 was a sad day for a young couple who lost their lives in a car accident on Ala. 144.  The accident also left their 3-year-old son in critical condition with brain injuries.  The accident injured the right frontal lobe of the young boy's brain.

The parents, John and Summer Kay, were driving home from a fun-filled day at Visionland in Birmingham, Alabama with their son, Hunter.  It was raining, and the bad road conditions were what caused the deadly accident.  7 years later, Hunter is now living with his grandparents and they want to make sure that word gets out about March being Traumatic Brain Injury month.

His grandparents remember that night vividly; "Because of the bad weather, LifeSaver was not able to fly in to pick Hunter up.  The critical care unit from Children's Hospital came to the hospital he was taken to after the accident to pick him up."  Hunter was in the critical care unit for 15 days.  In addition to the right frontal lobe injury, Hunter had a lacerated liver, two broken bones in his left arm, and a crushed growth plate in his right leg.  His grandmother says, "His right frontal lobe damage affects the left side of his body.  He has a hard time staying mobile, and falls a lot due to his injury." 

Today, Hunter is a third-grade student and is doing as well as can be expected considering the extent of his injuries.  His social skills are a little slower than his same-aged peers.  Wanda, his grandmother, says that his mind is like that of a 4-year-old, so he enjoys playing with 4-year-olds.  She does say that no matter how difficult some days are, she still feels blessed to have Hunter in her life.  She looks forward to the day when he will graduate from high school and become a productive member of society.

It is reported that every 21 seconds in America, someone sustains a head injury.  Everyone should be aware of how life-changing a traumatic brain injury can be, and that it can happen to anyone.

If you are in need of a Myrtle Beach SC traumatic brain injury attorney, Conway lawyer Dirk Derrick at the The Derrick Law Firm has been handling traumatic brain injury cases in Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, and Conway SC for over 23 years. Please call 843-248-7486 today.