Sarah Sponheim over at the Uptown Neighborhood News, had a very real story about her son’s collision with a van. It’s a scary story for any parent, she explains that:
13-year-old, Aidan was riding his bike alone to summer camp at the University of Minnesota when he was hit broadside by a delivery van.
He was hurt with road burns and a fractured pelvis, but as she writes:
When my husband and I first saw him in the ER, Aidan was still wearing the protective neck brace. He had obviously hit his face and forehead when he landed. His nose and upper lip were bloodied and swollen. A red mark across his forehead showed where the front edge of the helmet had dug in.
When my boys were little, one of our favorite babysitters was hit by a car while riding her bike. She wasn’t wearing a helmet and she suffered a serious head injury that kept her in the hospital – arduously regaining her ability to eat, speak and walk – for weeks. We saw her periodically during the ensuing years and though she completed her education and started a career, her personality was changed.
Aidan never lost consciousness. His precious "egg" stayed intact, thanks to a well-designed dome of hardened foam and plastic. Aidan lost no mental abilities. No part of him went away.
In our practice we see children who are horribly injured in all sorts of ways. It is always great to read and hear about those who escaped. As I’ve written about from time to time, I have a 9 and 10 year old, both of which I think about with any story like this.
It’s stories like this that make great reminders about the use of safety equipment. I hope Aidan healed quickly.
