Boy racer recovers from severed head
Surgeons re-attached his head to his spine with metal plates and bone grafts during a six-hour operation. His parents were warned he only had a 7% chance of survival.
Sky News: http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...555822,00.html
Thursday December 07, 2006
A boy who almost had his head ripped from his body in a racing car accident has told Sky News he wants to get back behind the wheel. The impact from the crash lifted 12-year-old Christopher Stewart's skull from the top of his spine - an injury which normally results in death. Despite having trouble speaking, the young driver said he was "fine" and confirmed he wanted to get back on the racing track - but doubted his parents would let him.
![](http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/9809/14774491728f169ak4.jpg)
Christopher suffered an internal decapitation during a 40mph smash on a track near Alton, Hampshire, in September. Firefighters spent an hour and a half cutting him free from the wreckage of his 1000cc Mini after the accident. The force of the crash also detached his tongue at the root. Surgeons re-attached his head to his spine with metal plates and bone grafts during a six-hour operation. His parents were warned he only had a 7% chance of survival. But after 19 days in intensive care and four weeks wearing a neck collar, he was able to swim, walk and exercise, although speaking and eating remain difficult.
![](http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/808/14774531728fb67ph5.jpg)
He has now been allowed to leave Southampton General Hospital for weekend visits, and his delighted parents have hailed his amazing recovery. Mum Debra, 40, from Fareham, said: "I was watching the race and I just felt physically sick. I could see the impact, how fast he was going." She told Sky News: "It is a massive injury and obviously, he's recovering really well and rapidly. "The ongoing problems are mainly neurological ... he has a palsy of the tongue which makes speech difficult and very slow, and also eating is considerably more laboured."
On letting him drive again, Mrs Stewart added: "He has no chance. I can't go through that again."
Surgeons re-attached his head to his spine with metal plates and bone grafts during a six-hour operation. His parents were warned he only had a 7% chance of survival.
Sky News: http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...555822,00.html
Thursday December 07, 2006
A boy who almost had his head ripped from his body in a racing car accident has told Sky News he wants to get back behind the wheel. The impact from the crash lifted 12-year-old Christopher Stewart's skull from the top of his spine - an injury which normally results in death. Despite having trouble speaking, the young driver said he was "fine" and confirmed he wanted to get back on the racing track - but doubted his parents would let him.
![](http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/9809/14774491728f169ak4.jpg)
Christopher suffered an internal decapitation during a 40mph smash on a track near Alton, Hampshire, in September. Firefighters spent an hour and a half cutting him free from the wreckage of his 1000cc Mini after the accident. The force of the crash also detached his tongue at the root. Surgeons re-attached his head to his spine with metal plates and bone grafts during a six-hour operation. His parents were warned he only had a 7% chance of survival. But after 19 days in intensive care and four weeks wearing a neck collar, he was able to swim, walk and exercise, although speaking and eating remain difficult.
![](http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/808/14774531728fb67ph5.jpg)
He has now been allowed to leave Southampton General Hospital for weekend visits, and his delighted parents have hailed his amazing recovery. Mum Debra, 40, from Fareham, said: "I was watching the race and I just felt physically sick. I could see the impact, how fast he was going." She told Sky News: "It is a massive injury and obviously, he's recovering really well and rapidly. "The ongoing problems are mainly neurological ... he has a palsy of the tongue which makes speech difficult and very slow, and also eating is considerably more laboured."
On letting him drive again, Mrs Stewart added: "He has no chance. I can't go through that again."
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