COURTNEY, N.C. - A six-year-old girl remains hospitalized in serious condition after she fell off a tractor last week and was caught under the machine's mower, according to family members.
Jessie Keaton was riding a tractor last Tuesday afternoon when her father, Jason Keaton, was apparently distracted by his five-year-old son, Jason, who was also on the vehicle while Keaton was operating the bush hog. The boy was not injured.
Brenda Jester, Jessie's aunt, described the accident, which occurred around 3:30 p.m. She spoke Monday night with Jason Keaton and the girl's mother, Loretta Lynn McGee.
"He told me that it all happened in a blink of an eye," Jester said."All he remembers is that the tractor had run over her and she was under the bush hog . . . The little brother saw that. He was talking to his daddy and got him distracted . . . They were just about done for the day. It just happened so fast."
Keaton immediately jumped off the tractor on his property off U.S. 601 South near the Davie/Yadkin county lines and called 911. Emergency first responders, including members of the Courtney Volunteer Fire Department and the Yadkin County EMS, rushed to the scene. Although critically injured, Jester said that Jessie was still conscious.
She remains at Brenner Children's Hospital in Winston-Salem where Jester said she had undergone several operations. Jester said that doctors, despite their best efforts, were forced to amputate Jessie's right leg below the knee, and part of her left ring finger. Doctors, who have kept the girl heavily sedated for most of her hospital stay, were also tending to a large cut to the back of her head, Jester said.
"The worst of it is over," Jester said. "She has another surgeryscheduled for Thursday. Her left foot is still a little iffy and her hands had real bad cuts on the palms . . . But she is really improving. She was more alert and hungry this morning before she went into surgery. Right now, it's just a waiting game. We just hope it continues to get better."
Jester said that the father is inconsolable.
"He's been there at the hospital nonstop. But he's blaming himself," Jester said. "He always had the young-ins with him in the yard when he was working. It was a habit; not a good habit."
Jessie's mother, Jester said, is undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
"She's holding up pretty good," Jester said. "She has not leftthe hospital."
The family has medical insurance. But there's no way to estimate how long and costly Jessie's hospital stay will be.
"It's just like anything else," Jester said. "It will only pay so much."
Zola Murphy, Jessie's grandmother, was emotionally devastated when she first learned of the accident. She said that she still can't get the terrible image of her granddaughter's near-death experience out of her mind.
"I've done cried all I can cry," Murphy said Monday. "She's justa little miracle girl."
Jester said that the family has been overwhelmed by the community's response. So many have telephoned or visited the hospital, she said.
"The people have come down here left and right," Jester said."All of my prayers are working. Jessie is doing so much bettertoday."
For those who wish to contribute to the family's medical bills, an account has been established at the Wachovia branch in Yadkinville. Jester, who can be reached at 961-3505, said that she and Ross Crissman have scheduled an Aug. 2 benefit at Crissman's farm on Lime Rock Road in the Fall Creek community.
I forgot to add the link were I saw this.
digtriad.com | Triad, NC | NC Miracle Girl Survives Tractor Accident
Jessie Keaton was riding a tractor last Tuesday afternoon when her father, Jason Keaton, was apparently distracted by his five-year-old son, Jason, who was also on the vehicle while Keaton was operating the bush hog. The boy was not injured.
Brenda Jester, Jessie's aunt, described the accident, which occurred around 3:30 p.m. She spoke Monday night with Jason Keaton and the girl's mother, Loretta Lynn McGee.
"He told me that it all happened in a blink of an eye," Jester said."All he remembers is that the tractor had run over her and she was under the bush hog . . . The little brother saw that. He was talking to his daddy and got him distracted . . . They were just about done for the day. It just happened so fast."
Keaton immediately jumped off the tractor on his property off U.S. 601 South near the Davie/Yadkin county lines and called 911. Emergency first responders, including members of the Courtney Volunteer Fire Department and the Yadkin County EMS, rushed to the scene. Although critically injured, Jester said that Jessie was still conscious.
She remains at Brenner Children's Hospital in Winston-Salem where Jester said she had undergone several operations. Jester said that doctors, despite their best efforts, were forced to amputate Jessie's right leg below the knee, and part of her left ring finger. Doctors, who have kept the girl heavily sedated for most of her hospital stay, were also tending to a large cut to the back of her head, Jester said.
"The worst of it is over," Jester said. "She has another surgeryscheduled for Thursday. Her left foot is still a little iffy and her hands had real bad cuts on the palms . . . But she is really improving. She was more alert and hungry this morning before she went into surgery. Right now, it's just a waiting game. We just hope it continues to get better."
Jester said that the father is inconsolable.
"He's been there at the hospital nonstop. But he's blaming himself," Jester said. "He always had the young-ins with him in the yard when he was working. It was a habit; not a good habit."
Jessie's mother, Jester said, is undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
"She's holding up pretty good," Jester said. "She has not leftthe hospital."
The family has medical insurance. But there's no way to estimate how long and costly Jessie's hospital stay will be.
"It's just like anything else," Jester said. "It will only pay so much."
Zola Murphy, Jessie's grandmother, was emotionally devastated when she first learned of the accident. She said that she still can't get the terrible image of her granddaughter's near-death experience out of her mind.
"I've done cried all I can cry," Murphy said Monday. "She's justa little miracle girl."
Jester said that the family has been overwhelmed by the community's response. So many have telephoned or visited the hospital, she said.
"The people have come down here left and right," Jester said."All of my prayers are working. Jessie is doing so much bettertoday."
For those who wish to contribute to the family's medical bills, an account has been established at the Wachovia branch in Yadkinville. Jester, who can be reached at 961-3505, said that she and Ross Crissman have scheduled an Aug. 2 benefit at Crissman's farm on Lime Rock Road in the Fall Creek community.
I forgot to add the link were I saw this.
digtriad.com | Triad, NC | NC Miracle Girl Survives Tractor Accident
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