They said it was the ‘worst feeling in the world’
The parents of a three-year-old boy injured in a crocodile enclosure said they didn’t think he “was going to make it” in a new update. The young boy was left seriously injured after he ended up in the crocodile enclosure of Johnson’s Zoo in Old Hurst on June 18.
He has since been in hospital, undergoing multiple surgeries to treat his injuries. A GoFundMe has been set up to support the family and has so far raised more than £67,000.
The boy’s parents have provided an update on their son’s health, sharing that he has undergone his seventh surgery. In a post on the GoFundMe page this week, the parents said: “Our son had his seventh surgery.
“In that surgery the surgeons completed a nerve graft on his left arm. They harvested a nerve from his leg to replace part of the nerve that was missing in his left arm.
“Over time, this nerve will hopefully embed and help our son to regain some function in his left hand. We won’t know whether the nerve graft has been successful until tests can be carried out in a few months time.”
The parents added that the boy has now been in hospital for more than a month. They explained that when he first arrived on June 18, he underwent a 12-hour surgery where surgeons “performed miraculous things”.
They added: “They were faced with tendon damage, nerve damage, blood vessel damage, broken bones and severe tissue damage in both his arms, neck, head and face. Those were the worst 12 hours of our lives as before that we were signing consent forms involving resuscitation and amputation.”
In a devastating reflection, the update said: “We were unsure if our son was going to make it and that was the worst feeling in the world. 4 weeks later and the cheeky little boy that we love so much is talking to the nurses, playing using his feet and smiling again. We are amazed at how far he has come.
“We are not at the end of our journey but are hopeful that the surgery will be the last for now which means if everything goes well we will be able to go home soon.” Once home, the parents said they face “new challenges”, helping their son to recover “physically and psychologically”.
They added: “Both of us are taking time off work temporarily to support our son during his rehabilitation. We don’t know what recovery and rehabilitation looks like at this moment in time but we know our son needs us more than ever.
“Thank you again for all your well wishes and support during this difficult time. We are forever grateful that you have all helped us to stay by our son’s side every step of the way.”
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