A Waco ETMC paramedic who was severely injured after being hit by a drunk driver in August will have his fourteenth surgery next week.
Rory Barros is now at the Baylor Scott & White Continuing Care Hospital in Temple. He's had thirteen surgeries in just two months.
"You know this wasn't even on my radar of things to be concerned about with him and his job," Amy Barros, Rory's wife, said about the accident.
Amy said she had talked to her husband not long before he got the call about a crash where medical attention was needed.
"I had just talked to him. I had just made this new meal in the crockpot and I was telling him it's in the fridge. You're really going to like it it's really good," Amy said.
An hour later, Rory's partner called telling her Rory been hit by a car at Loop 340 and Imperial in Waco. Rory had pushed his partner out of the way of an oncoming drunk driver while they were working another crash.
"All she could really tell me was he was awake and talking," Amy recalled.
Amy said she quickly changed her clothes and rushed to the hospital in Waco. Rory sustained severe injuries: several fractures to his lower half and his pelvis had to be reconstructed.
"He has lost all of his skin and soft tissue down to the muscle. from his hip down all the outer left half of his leg," Amy said.
He has had thirteen surgeries. The fourteenth surgery is scheduled for next week.
"I knew before all this happened he was a very strong person," Amy said. "But he's the strongest person I know. He has taken this in stride. He has not let it get him down and he's motivated."
Amy said the important thing is reminding people the importance of paying attention when driving on the roads, especially for the first responders.
"Our first responders are out there doing their jobs trying to help people. That's what my husband was trying to do. He was trying to help someone at an accident scene," Amy said. "Drivers need to slow down, they need to pay attention, they need to get off their phone and of course not drink and drive."
According to Amy, Rory is still immobile. Two weeks ago he was able to get out of bed and get into a wheelchair. He has since been outside twice.
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