Boy, 14, improving in hospital after serious collision with a car on A268 in Hawkhurst
17:08, 10 November 2020
updated: 09:55, 11 November 2020
The father of a 14-year-old boy who was seriously injured after a collision with a car has shared the moment of 'sheer joy' he felt seeing his son make progress in hospital.
Alfie Hayes was airlifted to King's College Hospital in London and put in an induced coma after the collision on October 31 on the A268 Rye Road in Hawkhurst.
Alfie's dad Malcolm Hayes has been sharing emotional daily updates about his son's condition after receiving countless messages of support in the wake of the accident.
Alfie is now out of the coma and is breathing independently but still has a long recovery ahead of him.
In his latest post from yesterday, Mr Hayes said while Alfie's progress is slow, seeing him open his eyes and squeeze his hand was a moment of 'magic'.
He said: "Today we met the senior neurologist who is overseeing Alfie's care.
"We're looking at the possibility of Alfie taking one of just two places on the three month intensive rehabilitation programme, which seems positive as they wouldn't invest all those resources unless they felt it was worth it.
"So much as the progress seems so depressingly slow, there are still those moments that exhaust me through sheer joy."
"But with the discussion of that option comes a dawning reality. In an instant, our lives were turned upside down, none more so than Alfie's.
"At this moment in time, we have no real idea as to whether our previous normality will ever return.
"But we do know that we'll do whatever it takes to help Alfie every step of the way, so whatever commitment is required, we'll take it on!
"One of today's magic moments came with the physios. They asked him to open his eyes and look at me, which he did. They then asked him to reach out and grab my hand.
"He looked me straight in the eye, reached out, grabbed my hand and squeezed.
"It was honestly like 4,000 volts of emotion shooting through every part of me. In that briefest of moments, we connected and I knew I'd reached into Alfie's world.
"Likewise, his mum smothered his face with kisses and it prompted a smile - the first we have seen since the accident. He's been watching things intently, clearly, absorbing the visual stimulus.
"So much as the progress seems so depressingly slow, there are still those moments that exhaust me through sheer joy."
The accident happened around 8.50pm on the A268 Rye Road when Jeep Cherokee was travelling near the junction with Queens Road towards Sandhurst.
A Go Fund Me page set up to support Alfie's progress and help the family with the cost of travelling to and from London has so far raised more than £2,200.
