A little boy has survived a horrific injury – and it’s all thanks to the quick-thinking actions of a brave woman and her husband.
Little Killian Gonzalez suffered an internal decapitation in a car crash. An internal decapitation occurs when the skull becomes separated from the spine, usually from severe force. Less than one percent of people survive this massive injury and those who do usually require a major operation and need to wear a halo brace.
Killian and his mum Brandy Gonzalez were driving home last year when their car hit some ice and went out of control. It slammed into another car and both Killian and Brandy suffered horrific injuries.
Thankfully for Killian and his mother, an off-duty police officer and his wife, Leah Woodward came upon the scene.
4-year-old boy who was internally decapitated, expected to make a full recovery. Mother says chance of survival < 1% pic.twitter.com/ZBftcIlcN5
— Sierra Oshrin (@SierraKBOI) June 3, 2016
They immediately checked for survivors and heard Killian’s frightened screams from the rear of the car. As the doors were locked, the police officer had to smash the back window open so Leah could get inside. He then instructed her on how to help the severely injured child.
Leah managed to sit Killian’s limp body upright and held his head securely to prevent any further damage to his spine until the paramedics arrived with a neck brace.
Brave Leah sat completely still with the little boy for over an hour and this intervention is what saved Killian. The slightest movement could have resulted the little boy's spine being severed.
"I'm trying to stay calm but inside I'm panicking. I'm thinking I don't know what I'm doing, and it was the worst feeling I've ever had to not know how to help," Leah told KBOI2.
On top of the internal decapitation, Killian also suffered a ruptured spleen, a broken arm and broken ribs. His mum also sustained serious injuries, breaking almost every bone in her body.
Tonight I got to Skype with Killian and his mother, and even see him walking on his own! pic.twitter.com/8W28q5u7Vz
— Sierra Oshrin (@SierraKBOI) June 9, 2016
Brandy can’t believe they both survived the crash, given the extent of their injuries."There's a reason we're here and we're just going to try every day to figure out what that reason is", she said.
She says she’s so grateful to Leah for "saving her baby." Leah, who is a mum herself said: "No mom should have to lose her child and she gets to have her boy".
Killian has made an incredible recovery since the awful accident. His life is returning to normal and he’s even taken up wrestling and won a medal for it.
