KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A family is holding hope and faith as their 14-year-old son recovers from a scooter accident in Morristown.
The accident happened on the evening of June 28, and Spencer Seals has been in the hospital ever since.
"It's been really hard on him," said his mom, Nicole Seals.
She said her son is usually vibrant and full of energy.
"He's kind of the class clown," Nicole said. "He's always goofing off just trying to make everybody laugh and make light of the situation."
Since the accident, he's been bed-bound at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. He suffered from facial fractures and a traumatic brain injury.
"He hit a break in the pavement and flew over the handlebars and forward," Nicole said. "He landed on his face and head."
She said, by the grace of God, the senior medic was the first responder to the scene. She believes it is because of this man that her son is alive today.
"When he got to him, he was facedown in the road, barely breathing enough to sustain life," Nicole said. "He had to crack him because they couldn't get in the airway because of all the facial fractures that he had."
Medics rushed Spencer to the hospital. Since being there, he has been in and out of the Intensive Care Unit three times.
"There seems to be no end in sight. It's just a roller coaster," said Spencer's dad, Randy. "It's not like you get your appendix out and eight days you'll be swinging a golf club. There's nobody can give us a timeframe and nothing."
Three weeks have gone by and Spencer is responding to questions, writing on whiteboards, and getting around in a wheelchair.
"They keep telling us that age is on our side because the brain heals so much better because of his age," Nicole said.
In addition to age, she also said God is on their side. The fact Spencer is doing so well is a miracle to her.
"It's amazing that he can even sit up, use his hands, write things and tell us what's going on," Nicole said. "Because most people with these injuries are in a coma, or they don't make it."
Nicole and Randy both agree this may have never happened if Spencer had been wearing a helmet.
"It's vital. I didn't grow up with them. It wasn't the norm. And still, he's a 14-year-old boy and it's not cool to have a helmet," Randy said.
This family wants to change that. They don't want anyone else to endure the trauma they've been through.
"I would like to normalize it and take away the stigma of it being made fun of or people looking silly because of it," Nicole said. "You just never think it's going to happen to you, and after seeing my son, I just wish that we had always made him wear helmets on anything he rode."
As many people can imagine, staying in the hospital for nearly a month racks up hefty medical bills. Anyone who would like to help this family through their hard time can donate to their GoFundMe campaign.
That money will go toward paying UT Medical bills and helping Spencer go through physical therapy in North Carolina.