Last May, Kevin, Hallie, and their two sons, Michael and Matthew, were returning home after celebrating Michael's eighth birthday.  After a long day, Michael's older brother, Matthew, lay down in the back seat. 

"And that's when lightning struck us," says Kevin.  "I looked down the road and saw a truck veer and hit gravel.  Suddenly the truck was coming sideways toward us.  I pulled to the left and he slammed into the right side of our vehicle."

After the accident, Kevin says he remembers looking at Hallie, who was unconscious, and Matthew, who was behind her.  "They were both in bad shape," Kevin says.  "I thought I was going to be raising Michael by myself."  Hallie and Matthew were taken to Regions Hospital and Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, respectively.  Hallie left the hospital after a few days. 

However, Matthew's skull was split from side to side, and he had a severe traumatic brain injury.  That night, surgeons removed part of Matthew's skull to allow the brain to swell. 

Nearly two months afterward, Matthew spoke for the first time.  "He grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear, 'Dad, I need to know the truth.  What is the future going to be?'  And I said, 'The fact that you asked that question tells me that everything is going to be fine.'"

After 13 weeks, Matthew left Gillette.  Today he continues to undergo intense rehabilitation therapy, but he's back at school as a sixth-grader. 

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