A boy who spent months unresponsive in hospital after being severely injured in a car accident has regained consciousness.
“We are ecstatic,” said Daniel Fretts, Anakin’s father.
Anakin, 12, was airlifted to Vancouver after the van he was in left the road and crashed near Shingle Beach on Texada Island on September 21.
He was in BC Children’s Hospital’s intensive care unit for 28 days and then spent a further five weeks in neurosurgery and respiratory recovery wards before being discharged to Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, said his father.
He moved to Sunny Hill on Monday, November 24, to begin a rehabilitation program which addresses complex needs for children with brain injuries.
Anakin is currently engaged in a range of therapies including physiotherapy, occupational, speech and swallowing therapy, as well as aquatic exercises and ophthalmology for eye concerns, added Daniel.
“His vision is impaired but it is showing improvement. He can not walk but is able to sit up when lifted to his wheelchair,” Daniel said, adding that Anakin is not yet able to eat or drink by himself.
A number of community fundraisers have helped support the Fretts family this fall while they stay in Vancouver with Anakin. Cris Greenwell of the band Hot Sauce said that they will be raising money for the family on Saturday, December 6 at McKinney’s Pub (6251 Yew Street). He is suggesting a $10 minimum donation at the door for the family. Greenwell’s band, as well as Wildwood Social Club, will perform. Music starts at 8:30 pm and there will also be a silent auction.
