Tyler Corpening remains in critical condition, although his mother says he is recovering. The 14-year-old McDowell High School student was airlifted to Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville Tuesday after being hit by a truck while crossing Baldwin Avenue on foot.
Corpening's mother, Juanita Young, spoke with The McDowell News from the hospital Wednesday. She said Tyler, who has two broken legs, has feeling in both extremities and movement in both feet.
"He's doing pretty good," she stated. "He was up and talking to us earlier but they've got him on more pain medicine now. He understands what happened."
It happened in an instant. On his way to catch the bus from East Junior High to McDowell High School, he attempted to cross Baldwin at 7:31 a.m. Tuesday, according to a police report. Young said he crossed behind a school bus that was turning in to the rear entrance at East Junior High and was hit by a pickup truck.
The driver of the truck, Gary Michael Childers, 64, of Nebo, was not charged. Investigating officer, Sgt. M.S. Hensley of the Marion Police Department, told The McDowell News Tuesday that multiple witnesses said Corpening "walked right out in front of the truck" and that Childers could not avoid hitting the youngster.
Young questions the officer's conclusions. She said her son apparently thought that traffic in both directions would have been stopped for the stopped school bus.
"I can't understand, from the markings on the road," she said, "I would have thought (Childers) would have had time to see him. Maybe he just took his eyes off the road, just for an instant, and when he looked up (Tyler) was there."
She said early reports that Tyler had suffered head trauma were overstated. He hit his head on the street surface, she said, and there was some blood, but she is confident his head injuries are not serious.
More concerning are his legs. Young said the right leg in particular had a bone completely broken and a piece of bone pierced out the back of his leg.
"He had surgery on it (Tuesday)," she said. "It's looking good now. We just have to watch closely for infection. They'll have to put a brace on it for a week or two when he's ready to come home."
She said doctors are planning more surgery Friday.
She said she is grateful for the many well-wishes she had received, and that she is conveying the messages to her son.
Young added that she is keeping her Facebook page updated and invites everyone to visit her there for news and to convey get-well wishes.
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