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...Graduating on time is every student’s goal and something two Floyd County seniors who were severely injured earlier this year in separate wrecks will accomplish proudly May 24.
On Christmas Eve, Nikki Bantz’s life was turned upside down. While coming home from visiting her boyfriend, she was involved in a single car wreck near her parent’s home on Ga. 156.
Nikki, an Armuchee High student, was life-flighted to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga with six pelvis fractures, broken ribs, a broken collarbone and five facial fractures.
More than a month later, Jake Bloodworth, a Model High senior, was involved in a wreck at his grandparent’s house in Cedar Bluff, Ala.
Jake was moving an old dump truck, and the brakes went out on the vehicle. He was ejected from the truck, which flipped and rolled over him.
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Nikki Bantz was able to attend her senior prom with Dallas Erwin. (Contributed photo) |
the wreck that injured Bloodworth.
Jake was life-flighted to Erlanger as well, where he remains but expects to leave after about three more weeks. He suffered a broken pelvis, detached spinal cord, multiple open wounds and severe nerve damage in both legs.
The injuries the teenagers sustained aren’t keeping them from graduating this spring though.
While in the Intensive Care Unit at Erlanger, Nikki set her goal to walk at graduation. It was never a question for Nikki whether she could do it, so she’s been home schooled since the Dec. 24 wreck.
“My mom, her family and my step dad made it very clear I could do it,” she said. “I’m hard-headed enough I knew I’d be able to do it, too.”
Following graduation Nikki plans to work at her mother’s pet grooming shop, Clippers ‘N Bows.
“I’m going to take a year off because I wanted this year to be my easy year, but it’s been (everything but easy),” she said.
Jake is trying to work with the Floyd County School System to help set up a webcast of the graduation at The Forum so he can virtually accept his degree with his classmates of 12 years.
In order to graduate on time and with his friends, he’s been taking classes online. “Some of these (classes) are pretty hard but I’ve had to get some help from friends and family,” he added.
Jake said he had planned to pursue a career in auto bodywork, repairing cars, but since the accident he isn’t sure what direction he’ll take.
“Now that I’m limited on what I can or can’t do, I’m not sure what I’ll do,” he said. “I’m going to make the best of this. I’ll keep a good attitude about it, and I won’t let it get me too down.”
Getting to where they are now hasn’t been easy for the two.
Nikki was bed-ridden nearly three months after her three-week stay at Erlanger and 15-day stay at Floyd Medical Center.
After three surgeries and a few months of patience, Nikki took her first steps and was able to attend her school prom this past weekend.
Nikki thanked people for their prayers, especially her mother and father, Jennifer and Wayne Smith, and boyfriend, Dallas Erwin.
Jake has undergone 32 surgeries, with three or four remaining, multiple skin graphs and has been given approximately 134 pints of blood since he was admitted to Erlanger on Feb. 10.
Doctors expect the 18-year-old to remain wheelchair bound all his life.
Jake’s mother, Andrea Covington, said they expect to move Jake to Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute in Pine Mountain within the next three weeks, where he’ll be in rehab for another month.
Jake will then return to Rome and participate in outpatient rehab at Redmond Regional Medical Center for approximately a year.
“It was every mother’s nightmare,” Covington said. “The doctors said it was the worst trauma case they have on record at Erlanger.”
With the multiple surgeries and three-month hospital stay, Jake’s family has accumulated a $4.5 million hospital bill so far. Covington said she is relocating her family because it would cost more than $60,000 to make their current home wheelchair accessible.
With the large bills and upcoming move, Covington has set up a construction fund at Coosa Valley Federal Credit Union in her son’s name to accept monetary donations, and Blood Assurance is collecting $10 for every blood donation made.
“The day they called me I thought I was coming to Erlanger to say good-bye … He’s truly become a miracle, though,” she concluded.
TO HELP JAKE BLOODWORTH
Donate blood at Blood Assurance, 176 Shorter Ave. N.W.; 706-235-9853.
Make a monetary donation at Coosa Valley Federal Credit Union, attn: Jake’s Construction Fund, 2010 Redmond Circle N.W.; 706-235-8551.
Buy a Model High School T-shirt designed in Jake’s honor; Contact Christy Lewis by e-mail to Cml7868@aol.com.
Volunteer your time by contacting Jake’s stepfather Roger at 706-252-2060.
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