Father Runs Over Son With Lawn Mower
Man Says He Hopes Others Can Learn From Mistake
POSTED: 5:09 pm CDT May 22,
2007
UPDATED: 7:26 pm CDT May 22,
2007
PORTLAND, Tenn. -- A Portland man hopes that parents can learn from a recent accident with his son and a lawn mower.
Video: Child Survives Being Run Over By Lawn MowerTens of thousands of people are hurt each year by power mowers and many of those are children.Patrick Strickland said his Saturday chore ended horrifically when his mower blade nearly cut his 4-year-old's foot in half."He was on the ground. I grabbed him, he said, ‘Daddy don't let me die. Daddy don't let me die,’” Strickland said.Strickland’s son, Gates, was standing on the deck.Strickland said he looked to make sure he was clear but in an instant, Gates, Strickland said, got excited about something, ran down the steps, slipped and fell underneath the blade."Because I had weed-eated, the grass was slippery when he ran,” he said.Doctors at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital said the prognosis is good for Gates and that the 4-year-old will likely gain full use of his foot.Others haven't been as fortunate."We have seen extremes. We've had to amputate an arm or leg depending on the extent of the injury,” emergency room nurse Autumne Bailey.Bailey said children should be nowhere in sight when lawns are being mowed.Strickland said he wants others to learn from his family's mistake.
Video: Child Survives Being Run Over By Lawn MowerTens of thousands of people are hurt each year by power mowers and many of those are children.Patrick Strickland said his Saturday chore ended horrifically when his mower blade nearly cut his 4-year-old's foot in half."He was on the ground. I grabbed him, he said, ‘Daddy don't let me die. Daddy don't let me die,’” Strickland said.Strickland’s son, Gates, was standing on the deck.Strickland said he looked to make sure he was clear but in an instant, Gates, Strickland said, got excited about something, ran down the steps, slipped and fell underneath the blade."Because I had weed-eated, the grass was slippery when he ran,” he said.Doctors at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital said the prognosis is good for Gates and that the 4-year-old will likely gain full use of his foot.Others haven't been as fortunate."We have seen extremes. We've had to amputate an arm or leg depending on the extent of the injury,” emergency room nurse Autumne Bailey.Bailey said children should be nowhere in sight when lawns are being mowed.Strickland said he wants others to learn from his family's mistake.Copyright 2007 by WSMV.com. All rights reserved.
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