A 16-year-old boy was critically injured while trying to help a stranded motorist in Michigan, turning a simple errand into a life-threatening ordeal.
Alexander Johnson was on his way to pick up eggs for his grandmother when he stopped at an intersection in Dearborn Heights around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 23, after noticing a disabled vehicle. According to his father, William Johnson, Alexander tried everything he could to move the car out of harm’s way.
As Alexander attempted to jump-start the stalled vehicle, another driver crashed into it from behind. The impact pinned the teen between the two cars, breaking his right leg in two places and severely damaging an artery.
“His bone was literally crushed,” his father said. “We had to do a bypass on a main artery.”
Alexander remains hospitalized in the ICU and has no feeling from his right knee down. He underwent his fifth surgery on New Year’s Eve, which his family hopes will be the last for now. Still, his father said the recovery ahead will be long and challenging.
The driver who struck the vehicle was cited for failing to stop and for driving without proof of insurance, according to a traffic crash report. The report noted that the driver said visibility was limited due to lighting conditions.
The Dearborn Heights Police Department said it could not comment on the case while the driver could not be reached. William Johnson has expressed dissatisfaction with how the investigation has been handled, though police told him alcohol is not believed to have been a factor. The case has been referred to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, which was not immediately available for comment.
To help cover mounting medical expenses, Alexander’s aunt, Georgeana Johnson, launched a GoFundMe campaign that has raised more than $20,000 as of Thursday, Jan. 1.
“He is in a ton of pain but in very good spirits,” she wrote in an update. “He’s a fighter and we know he will overcome this. Please keep the prayers coming.”
