‘I’m just happy that he’s here’ | Father searching for strangers who saved 7-year-old son’s life after crash
By Alex Null
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CINCINNATI (WCPO) — When Michael Askin’s phone rang on Wednesday evening, he had no idea his world was about to be flipped upside down.
That’s because his girlfriend, Jonni Evans, and their 7-year-old son Michael were involved in a severe crash. It happened around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Investigators with the Cincinnati Police Department said the crash happened after Evans’ car crossed the center line and crashed into another driver. CPD said the driver of that car was transported to The Christ Hospital for treatment after sustaining non-life-threatening injuries.
However, it was a different story for Evans’ son, Michael.
“When I got the call, I flew here, was driving fast,” Askins said.
Askins said two bystanders pulled his son out of the car and quickly realized he wasn’t breathing. He said that’s when they began administering CPR.
When first responders arrived, Michael and Evans were taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital with devastating injuries.
Evans sustained a broken hip, knee, ankle, femur and shoulder. But Michael’s injuries were even worse.
He suffered three spinal fractures, a lacerated abdominal aorta, the removal of most of his small intestine and brain swelling.
Askins said he lost a lot of blood and needed a blood transfusion.
“When I first seen him, all the tubes in him and all the blood all over him … it took a toll on me,” Askins said.
Somehow, Michael is now stable.
Askins said that’s in large part because of the men who performed CPR on his son at the scene of the crash. He said doctors told him that if it wasn’t for those men, his son likely wouldn’t have made it.
Askins said he doesn’t know who those men were, but he hopes one day he can thank them in person.
We asked Askins what he would say to those men if he could talk to them:
“If it wasn’t for you, my son, he wouldn’t be here at all, fighting what he’s fighting right now,” Askins said. “So, thank you.”
Askins said he’s now praying both of his loved ones can pull through.
“I’m just happy that he’s here,” Askins said. “I need them way more than they need me.”
He said he’s also praying for the other driver and hopes that person is OK.
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