Annual Report 2009 - Safe Kids Columbus

Safe Riding Behaviors (bikes, skates, & scooters)
Safety Gear Use
Safe Kids
Ready To Roll
“…trust me, you probably do not want to go through what I did…” Will Harris
Will Harris is a 12 year old 6 th grader from Pacelli School on a
mission to let all kids know the importance of wearing a helmet. On August
4 th , 2009 he fell off his brand new bike and hit his head. Luckily, Will’s
friend was with him. They followed head injury precautions until he was
able to see a doctor later that day. His doctor diagnosed him with a mild
concussion and advised him to get a CAT Scan at the Medical Center.
That night, his head injury symptoms became severe. The Medical Center
found a 3 ½ inch fracture at the base of his skull—1/2 inch away from his
spine. ―I could have died or become paralyzed,‖ says Will, ―it’s a miracle, I
dodged a bullet.‖
For the next year Will can not do some of the fun sports and activities
that he enjoys because he has to be extra careful. Will’s advice:
Kids think helmets are not cool and won’t look good on them,
or people will make fun, but trust me, you probably do not
want to go through what I did. So, please make donations for
kids that cannot afford helmets.
Safe Kids is thankful for Will Harris’ safety and that he will make a full
recovery. Will presented his story of survival to 70 of our coalition
members on October 22, 2009.
7,739 people educated
12,793 educational literature distributed
1,263 protective gear distributed
www.safekidscolumbusga.com (706) 321-6183
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