MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An Arlington teen impaled by a tractor spike in a sledding accident continues to make a miraculous recovery.
17-year-old Sam Reid was released from the Regional Medical Center a little over a week after the freak accident in an Arlington pasture.
“He had a pretty good night. We moved a twin bed up in the attic downstairs to our formal living room. Set up a bedroom for him there because his bedroom is upstairs and I didn’t want him to climb those stairs,” Todd Reid said.
Doctors told Todd Reid and his wife Christie their son could have easily lost his life or been paralyzed after he was impaled by a tractor spike that entered his lower abdomen up through his chest and came out the back right side of his neck.
Sam was sledding behind an ATV on February 13 when the tow row broke, and he slid into a tractor used to lift hay bales.
Before Sam left the hospital his surgeons gave him the four-foot spike they removed from his body to take home with him.
“They actually gave it to him and said, hey, here is your souvenir from your stay. So, he was excited. He kind of treats it like a trophy,” his dad said.
His dad said his son’s doctors also showed him pictures of Sam when he was rushed to the Regional Medical Center with the spear still inside his body.
“It’s medieval looking. I was just like, oh my gosh how did he survive that? It’s just unbelievable,” his dad said.
Sam was sent home with a portable wound vac and a portable pain pump. He still has several follow-up visits with his surgeons and orthopedic doctors but is on the road to recovery.
His family said they are so thankful to God for saving Sam and the healing that has already taken place and excited to have him home.
