The family of a 16-year-old who had both of his legs amputated after being hit by a drunk driver last month wants to raise awareness about the impact of drunk driving.
It happened in the 4000 block of E. State Hwy 21 around 9 p.m. in Bryan on April 21.
According to Bryan Police, Austin Haskins was trying to push a truck off the road, which was broken down in the outside lane.
"They were going to see a movie. The truck broke down so they got out and they were trying to push it. They had about 50 yards to go to push it up into a driveway to get it out of the way," Haskins' grandfather Dan Hedden said.
Lorenzo Arellano, 26, was arrested for two counts of intoxication assault that sent Haskins, his brother and a friend CHI St. Joseph's Regional Health Center in Bryan.
“I have a grandson with has no legs. We’re not even sure that there will be a prosthetic that could be use on his left side so he may never walk all because for a decision of getting behind the wheel when he was drunk," said Haskins' grandfather Dan Hedden.
After the accident, both of Haskins' legs had to be amputated.
“It ripped my heart out. If I could trade places with him, I would be up there," said Hedden. "Nobody should be going through what’s he’s going through especially at that age.”
The Normangee ISD student, who is now at the Scott & White Medical Center, has had five surgeries after the crash, according to his family.
“It completely smashed with his legs," Hedden said. "His kidneys are not working. They don’t know if they’re going to come back. He’s been on dialysis.”
Haskins' mother, Danielle Adams, left her job to be able to care for her son.
“It breaks my heart because no mother should go through this," Adams said.
The mother of three is trying to remain positive through his recovery.
“He is going to overcome this. He is going to be back to himself. It’s just hard seeing him lay in that bed," Adams said.
Hedden and Adams both describe the teenager as an active person who enjoyed the outdoors and planned to be part of varsity football next school year.
"We’re not going to let him this slow him down. He’s going to be fishing and hunting," Adams said.
Hedden who said he had promised him to go hunting with him, will be there when he's ready.
"It’s going to happen but it’s not going to happen this year," Hedden said.
Arellano was arrested twice for DWI and once for public intoxication in Brazos County. The 26-year-old was released with bond conditions last week.
To help the family with medical expenses, click here.
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