Boston Family Recovering After South End Crash
BOSTON (CBS) - Speaking from his hospital bed at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and very happy his family is alive, 36-year-old James Smith recalls the horrifying moments before he, his wife, Amber, and their 16-month-old son Carter were struck by a car.
"After the hit I just remember being on the ground in pain," Smith said. The three were out for a walk Sunday afternoon in the South End at the corner of Dartmouth Street and Columbus Avenue. Police say that's when a car, driven by a 17-year-old, swerved to avoid hitting a taxi and careened into all three of them.
"I think we got blasted. It just happened so quickly," Smith said. James says the only thing on his mind was the well-being of his family. "I could hear my wife speaking so that gave me comfort and we were both asking how's our baby? That was the first and constant thing on my mind," Smith said.
Witnesses came to their aid and told the parents their son was amazingly alright. "I can't believe he ended up the best of all three of us. The fact that he has no injuries at all is a miracle," Smith said.
Mom and dad on the other hand are in rough shape. Jim who is recovering at Tufts Medical Center sustained fractures to his leg and back. His wife Amber, is in the ICU at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center with head trauma and pelvic injury. Amber also happens to be the Chief Resident of Internal Medicine there as well.
"I am just so thankful that all three of us have the opportunity to live our lives and you really have to be thankful for every single second," Smith said. The driver has been cited but at this point no criminal charges have been filed. "The sense of feeling frustrated and angry that something like this happened. In all areas of life you have to be careful and put safety first," Smith said.
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