Parents grateful for son's "miraculous recovery" after boat propeller incident in Keys
MIAMI - The parents of a young man who was struck by a boat's propeller weeks ago while diving for lobster in the Lower Keys talked about their son's ongoing recovery.
Jill and Steven Bender are calling Sean's recovery miraculous after suffering what his mother described as "catastrophic" injuries.
It happened on July 24th and CBS News Miami met with his parents at Jackson South, the hospital where Sean was taken and where he is making progress.
Sean's parents have watched their son show signs he's healing from his hospital bed.
"Making some miraculous forward movements," Jill said. "He was singing to it (rock music), and it was special."
An inspiring moment, days after they were unsure their 20-year-old son would live.
"I've had nightmares that I replay that moment many, many times," Steven said.
Sean's dad helped rescue his son from the waters.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office told CBS News Miami that Sean was hit by a 19-foot boat while lobstering near the Boca Chica Bridge.
"He couldn't really speak and he really wasn't opening his eyes at all," Steven said.
Emergency crews flew Sean to Jackson South around 8 a.m. that morning.
"We didn't know if our son was going to survive. If he was going to be a vegetable or if he was gonna lose his arm," Jill said.
Hope came days later.
"Hey Sean, mommy's here. Can you move your toes?"
"Once you get a few days past that point and you start to see a little progress, you want more and then you become angry, you're mad, you're angry at the, the fact that this happened," Steven said.
Both parents are thankful for Sean's medical team.
Pictures days after show Sean still with a scar on his head, a neck brace, and bandages on his arm.
From then until now, Sean has made remarkable progress.
He is now walking.
"He's on the floor walking with a physical therapist, maintaining a great sense of humor. You know, everything that we'd hope for in a recovery," one of his doctors said.
"Sean probably more than anyone has given us the support that we need. He's the one that's inspiring us," Steven said.
The family understands Sean's journey to healing is just beginning. They do hope this story spreads awareness of the importance of boating safety.
The family chose not to comment on the ongoing investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office into the incident.
