Despite Surviving Road Accident, Boy Returns to School, Receives Award
Little Atticus Villanueva was not expected to survive after he was run over by a truck in 2005 and suffered a massive skull fracture and brain trauma.
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December 3, 2009
Little Atticus Villanueva was not expected to survive after he was run over by a truck in 2005 and suffered a massive skull fracture and brain trauma. However, in the intervening four years the boy slowly returned to nearly full physical health with the help of intense rehabilitation and firm determination.
As further proof that it is possible to thrive in the wake of a similar accident, the Association of California School Administrators recently recognized the 7-year-old with an award in its Every Student Succeeding program, according to Merced Sun-Star, a local news source.
"[We honor] students who exceed our expectations and the educators who support them along the way," says the association's website, adding the recognition stems from how "they face life's challenges head on."
The most recent data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics suggests that 1.5 million Americans were injured in passenger car-related accidents in 2006.
Excessive speed and intoxication are among the main factors behind most road accidents, and experts recommend complying with local speed limits and refraining from driving after drinking alcohol or using drugs.
People coping with the aftermath of an auto accident, and their families, can access valuable resources through the Trauma Resource Center.
Little Atticus Villanueva was not expected to survive after he was run over by a truck in 2005 and suffered a massive skull fracture and brain trauma. However, in the intervening four years the boy slowly returned to nearly full physical health with the help of intense rehabilitation and firm determination.
As further proof that it is possible to thrive in the wake of a similar accident, the Association of California School Administrators recently recognized the 7-year-old with an award in its Every Student Succeeding program, according to Merced Sun-Star, a local news source.
"[We honor] students who exceed our expectations and the educators who support them along the way," says the association's website, adding the recognition stems from how "they face life's challenges head on."
The most recent data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics suggests that 1.5 million Americans were injured in passenger car-related accidents in 2006.
Excessive speed and intoxication are among the main factors behind most road accidents, and experts recommend complying with local speed limits and refraining from driving after drinking alcohol or using drugs.
People coping with the aftermath of an auto accident, and their families, can access valuable resources through the Trauma Resource Center.
