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On Thursday, Aug. 15, 15-year-old Austin Broadwater was riding his skateboard along Walston Switch Road in Salisbury when he was struck by a driver who proceeded to speed away without checking on the teen.
Broadwater was airlifted to a trauma center with life-threatening injuries, where he is being treated and evaluated nearly a week later.
According to his family, Broadwater sustained a brain bleed that is being monitored to avoid any swelling or further complications, though he has been both stubborn and resilient.
Broadwater was still on a ventilator on Sunday morning, but later that day, "in true Austin fashion, he decided that he no longer needed a ventilator so it was removed and replaced by an oxygen mask and a feeding tube through the nose for nutrients and medicine," his family said.
The teen also has a bruised kidney, chin laceration, a fractured scapula, fractured pelvis that will require surgery once the brain issues are under control, and road rash on his knees, arms, hands, torso, back, side of his head and his face.
On Sunday, his family said that Broadwater was able to speak with a raspy voice and could provide his name, recognized he was in a hospital, what season it is, as well as his family's dog's name.
"He even asked questions about his accident in his own sassy way," Katherine Lazenby posted. "He’s not fully awake but this was a huge milestone."
The teen is "an amazing kid," his family said, who was active in football and track, as well as a Boy Scout," they added.
"He never hesitates to help anyone in need. His adventurous spirit has kept our lives interesting from (Day One)," they added. "Not having his sense of humor with us during this time has left our family empty."
A GoFundMe set up for the family can be found here.
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