The Slanch Report

Now, I’m no parent, but it seems to me that if your then 14 year old kid wasnearly decapitated with what’s called a “Hangman’s injury” from driving a race car, maybe you don’t let your kid GET BACK IN A RACECAR! But then, I’m not the parents of Chris Stewart, a racing fanatic from Hampshire, England.

In September 2006, Stewart, then 12 years old, was driving a 1,000cc Mini go-kart when he crashed head-on into a metal barrier at over 50 mph. The force of the hit was so intense that his head was internally wrenched from the top of his neck. Yikes.

One of only 6 people to ever survive the hangman’s injury, Chris is now stunning his doctors by getting BACK behind the wheel.

Evan Davies, a expert surgeon in spinal injuries conducted the procedure to reattach Stewart’s head to his spine — known as occipital-cervical fusion — by inserting metal plates at the base of the skull and using screws to attach them to the spine. Bone grafts from Stewart’s hips were also used to help strengthen the connection. Ow.

“He’s the only person in the world who has survived such an injury and gone on to lead a normal life,” Davies said, “A few others survived, but they ended up completely paralysed.”

When the accident happened, Stewart’s mother Debbie was standing on the side watching. “I remember seeing his car going straight for the barrier head-on and then crashing. It’s probably every mother’s worst nightmare to see their child in a situation like that.”

It took over 90 minutes for emergency workers to cut Stewart free before he could be rushed to the hopsital. The slightest movement of his head, even a millimeter could have killed the young boy.

“We didn’t know if he’d even survive, walk or talk. So it’s unbelievable he’s back driving again,” said Debbie.

Besides getting to still be alive, Stewart has received quite a bit of attention, understandably so, even getting a chance to be on OPRAH!

[Daily Mail]