West Allis OWI crash, boy recovering: 'It was horrible'
WEST ALLIS, Wis. - A boy faces a long road to recovery after he was hit by a truck in West Allis while crossing the street Sunday, Oct. 1.
When 9-year-old Ben set out on his bike Sunday, he could not have known just where he'd end up.
"Enjoying the day like children do," said Kathy Rom, the boy's grandma. "Then this person hit him. It was horrible."
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Rom has spent all the time she can at Ben's bedside at Children's Wisconsin, where she said her grandson is being treated for skull fractures and brain damage. She added this has been traumatic for the whole family, including Ben's two brothers.
"He’s got the biggest swollen black eye and bruised eye I’ve ever seen," she said. "I love my Ben, and I just want to see him get better."
Ben, 9-year-old hit by truck in West Allis
Rom said she got goosebumps when Ben opened his eyes after the crash. She said the 9-year-old is speaking again, too.
"I thought he was gonna die. We all didn’t know what to expect, even the doctors and the nurses," she said. "He said a ‘red truck’ and he started to cry, and he wanted to scream, and the nurse said go right ahead, and he just screamed and let it all out."
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After something so traumatic, Rom said the boy's dad isn't leaving his side either.
"What Ben said was, ‘I want to hug my dad right now,’" she said. "My son can’t work because he has to be with his son."
The road to recovery may be long, but it’s paved with support – and Rom asks you to join them.
Ben, 9-year-old hit by truck in West Allis
"Anybody can pray with us. We’d love that, pray to god this little boy gets better," she said.
A GoFundMe online fundraiser was set up to help Ben's family with medical bills.
West Allis police said the investigation is progressing, and charges for the 73-year-old man arrested for OWI will be referred to the district attorney’s office soon.