6-year-old Kentucky boy recovering after crash, coma: ‘He’s a miracle’

BOONE COUNTY, Ky. (FOX19) - A 6-year-old boy badly injured in a crash last month learned Wednesday he’ll be home by Christmas.

Gabriel Vazquez, his 4-year-old brother, Liam, and his mother, Hailey Stewart, were hit by a car on Dixie Highway in Boone County early on Nov. 20.

The Boone County Sheriff’s Office says a car driven by Holly Eversole, 27, crossed left of center and struck the car driven by Stewart, also 27, with her children inside.

Stewart says she and the kids were on their way to school when the crash happened.

“The scary part was when I turned around, I knew it was a bad accident,” Stewart recalled. “When I turned around, my 4-year-old son was crying, but when I saw Gabe, he wasn’t making any sound, I didn’t hear anything from him... so I knew something was wrong.”

Eversole was hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Liam sustained minor injuries. He was only in the hospital for a day.

Gabriel was airlifted to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. He was admitted with acute respiratory failure, bruising on the brain, a midline shift of the brain and multiple fractures.

Nearly a month later, Gabriel remains at Children’s. He spent a week in a medically induced coma following the crash and has since moved to the rehab floor, where he is currently undergoing physical, occupational and speech therapy.

“The doctors told me they are completely amazed at how well he’s been doing,” Stewart said.

“He’s a miracle.”

Gabriel’s mother credits the power of prayer for his recovery.

“Everyone would send messages, like, ‘We’re praying for you’ ... ‘Our churches are praying for you,’” she said. “I really do believe prayer had a lot to do with it. I always thought he was a strong kid, and to be able to overcome this the way he has and keep the attitude the way he has, has been huge.”

A GoFundMe fundraising page has been set up to help with medical costs.