CBS2 Exclusive: Giants Visit Queens Football Player Left For Dead By Driver
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A high school quarterback is home from the hospital after being left for dead in the street.
As CBS2's Marc Liverman exclusively reported, he got a surprise that's given him hope after a life-changing crash.
After more than month in the hospital 17-year-old Christopher Miraba got to come home to New York Giants, Dwayne Harris and Jay Bromley paying a visit to his family in Far Rockaway.
"Extremely surprised and grateful," he said.
The athletes even took the time to watch some of Christopher's football highlights. He was the starting quarterback at Long Island City High School, but on Halloween his life was changed forever.
Christopher said he was with some friends who were throwing eggs at cars near 23rd Street and Jackson Ave in Long Island City.
Police said that's when 50-year-old Keith Richard drove onto the sidewalk, hitting Chris.
"I pushed one of my friends out of the way and I tried to keep running, and that's when I got hit," he said. "I remember rolling over and feeling the car on top of me, and him reversing the car. I felt a tire on my chest pressing down."
Richard was denied bail and is still behind bars. He's charged with attempted murder. Christopher was rushed to the hospital with a broken leg and pelvis.
"The pain would just beat me up. It would be just too much to bear. Some nights I couldn't even sleep," he said.
His strength is so great that the pros said they had to see it for themselves.
"Saving two of his friends, sacrificing himself, that's something that has to be met face to face," Bromley said.
The quarterback will likely never play football again, but he said Harris and Bromley have inspired him to never give up.
"The love of the game is too real. Even if I can't play it I could always teach somebody else how to play," he said.
And inspire them with his courage too.
Miraba started playing football to deal with the loss of his father to cancer.
