Boise 4-year-old survives internal decapitation - East Idaho News
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Boise 4-year-old survives internal decapitation

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Killian Gonzalez survived a serious car accident thanks to a good Samaritan who held his head perfectly still until paramedics arrived. / Photo courtesy Leah Woodward.

BOISE (KBOI) — A young boy is expected to make a full recovery after doctors say he was internally decapitated. And for that, they’re thanking a good Samaritan who held his head perfectly still until paramedics arrived.

When someone is internally decapitated, their head is essentially just holding on by a thread- like the spinal cord.

Less than one percent survive the injury. Those who do, need extensive surgery and wear a halo brace. This miracle child didn’t have to undergo any of that.

It was a stormy day when Killian and his mother, Brandy Gonzalez, decided to make the trip back home to Nevada after celebrating Killian’s fourth birthday, KBOI TV reports.

Ice on the road caused the vehicle to skid out of control, crashing into another car.

At the same time, a Nampa police officer and his wife were coming down the hill and saw the crash unfold in front of them. As the first ones on-scene, they quickly got out of the car to see if there were any survivors. That’s when they heard a little boy screaming from the car.

Leah Woodward says they were unable to get into the car because of locked doors. Her husband then took a hitch and smashed out the back window of the vehicle.

With a little guidance from her husband, Woodward sat up the lifeless 4-year-old and held C-Spine.

“I’m trying to stay calm but inside I’m panicking. I’m thinking I don’t know what I’m doing, and it was the worst feeling I’ve ever had to not know how to help.”

Woodward held his head straight for over half an hour. A move that likely saved his life.

Now, Killian is at St. Luke’s. His mother – across town at St. Alphonsus. They haven’t seen each other since the accident.

“It’s just so hard because I’m in the same town and I haven’t been able to see him,” said Gonzalez, Killian’s mother. “It’s just hard knowing he’s in so much pain and I can’t be there.”

Killian ruptured his spleen, broke his arm and multiple ribs. But the worst injury he suffered from was clinical decapitation. A rare condition where his skull separated from his spine.

Most people don’t even survive, but Killian is expected to make a full recovery. He’s eating, walking, and even sitting up by himself. All without surgery.

Gonzalez says the boy is doing amazing, “He’s shocked everyone there. They keep telling me he’s the talk of the hospital.”

Her spirits are high, despite breaking every limb in her body except one. She shattered her ankle, broke her arm, femur and top of her tibia.

Two unlikely survivors, who now get a second chance.

“There’s a reason we’re here and we’re just going to try every day to figure out what that reason is.”

The crash – bringing together two mother’s who will now be life-long friends.

“She saved my baby, she gave him back,” Gonzalez cried.

“No mom should lose their child and she gets to have her boy. That’s really awesome,” Woodward said.

A Go Fund Me page has been created for Gonzalez and Killian to help pay for medical expenses.

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