LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. — Thirteen-year-old Owen Lockaby has no memory of the day in December when he was riding on the back-facing seat of a golf cart.
"His friend was driving and took a quick turn and he was catapulted out of the back onto the pavement," said Tracey Lockaby, Owen's mother.
Owen was severely injured.
"We were told that he was bleeding from his ears, nose and mouth, said Nick Barion, a Manatee County paramedic. "When you hear a helicopter is coming it kind of kicks you into high gear."
When the Manatee County EMS crew arrived, they acted quickly putting a breathing tube on Owen who was unresponsive for nearly 24 hours after the accident.
"With a head trauma and a GCS score of 3, about 89% don’t make it, 7% survive in a vegetative state and only 4% survive," said Tracey Lockaby.
Miraculously Owen made a full recovery and his mother said the first responders are the reason.
"I think it was the quick response, for them to intubate him and do all of those things right there at the scene," said Lockaby.
On Tuesday, Owen and his family were reunited with the first responders to thank them for saving his life.
"It feels so great, I’ve been wanting to meet them ever since I woke up in the hospital," said Owen. "They saved my life and I’m so thankful for that."
