EMMETT, Idaho — Idaho News 6 speaks with the f ather of the 12-year-old boy who was hit at Mill Road in September. After months of recovery, the family hopes he is home for Thanksgiving.
- Reaniel Bustamante was walking to a friend's house on September 12th when he was hit by a car on Highway 52.
- After two long months of recovery, the family hopes, to bring him home before Thanksgiving.
- If you want to donate to the Go-Fund-Me for the family, click here.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
This Emmett intersection has been the center of conversations between the city and ITD for several months, after a serious accident involving a 12-year-old boy. Continuing coverage of efforts to improve safety on Mill Road, I spoke for the first time with the parents whose lives changed forever on September 12.
"If you're a 12-year-old kid pushing your bike, this is a scary intersection," said Karl Stelzried.
September 12th was just another Thursday for Karl Stelzried until he received a call at work that no parent wants to get.
Stelzried paused before saying, "My son is being lifelighted. We come down here and he is already gone."
Stelzried’s son Reaniel Bustamante and a friend were crossing Highway 52 at Mill Road around 4 p.m. when a car hit the 12-year-old boy sending him into the air, and landing on his head.
"I couldn’t believe it. He just went to play with a friend," exclaimed Stelzried after I questioned what went through his head after getting the call.
The months proceeding would be a challenge for the family as Reaniel’s mother Julie would stay in Boise to be near the hospital while his father stayed at home with his younger sisters.
Stelzried continued, "He was in a coma for three weeks. He came out of intensive care after a month. He has been in rehab for a month now. He can walk mostly good, he's still got a tube in his gut for feeding and medicines. For the first few days, I didn’t expect him to live. He was a mess. His head was all swollen. His eyes."
Due to continuously growing medical bills, Stelzried set up a Go-Fund-Me. But, he explained that even past the donations the moral and spiritual support from the community has been above and beyond.
"He has lots of friends visiting him. His teachers from Butte View Elementary came out the day after the accident and come over every weekend since. There's been so many amazing people through this. Through tragedy, you see God's people working. It's amazing," finished Stelzried.
Stelzried told me with how quickly his son is recovering he is hopeful to have him home by Thanksgiving.
