Positivity: New Mexico’s miracle Child of the Year’
10/20/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT
There are true stories of terrible accidents and heartbreaking recovery more moving than the most well-written movie scripts.
The facts regarding how Steffan Hobbs’ life changed, and nearly ended, on May 12, 2000, when he was hit by a pickup truck after wandering out onto U.S. 64 on his bicycle, is one such story.
The 13-year-old Mesa Alta Junior High eighth-grader should be dead. The accident was so bad that his legs snapped in half and his skull shattered in parts.
“He was not expected to survive,” said his mother, Janet Hobbs.
Janet, who found her son moments after the accident and still has nightmares about the scene, can’t believe her son has made this much progress.
One medical emergency followed another: Steffan’s internal organs swelled, significant portions of his brain and skull needed to be removed, and his brain activity was minimal until early June 2000.
Even after pulling through multiple head surgeries, through reconstructive surgery on his face and eye socket, and speech and movement rehabilitation, Steffan wasn’t in the clear. Two days after the two-year anniversary of his accident, Steffan had a violent 22-minute seizure that was so serious it caused his skin to turn blue.
After that seizure, and to everyone’s surprise, Steffan’s health began to improve significantly. The story of his progress has proven remarkably upbeat.
For as miraculous as Steffan’s recovery has been, Janet has no doubt that if it were not for the treatment her son received at the University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital in Albuquerque, he would not be the person he is today. …..
Go here for the rest of the story.
