WYOMING, Mich. — A family is raising money after their 6-year-old son was injured in a crash on March 30th. Rhydian Chase Baker was in his mother's vehicle when she says a driver pulled out in front of them on Clyde Park near 36th Street.
His family has started a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money to cover his growing medical costs.
“It happened in an instant. There was no time…. I was driving and the next thing I know, I'm in an accident,” Rhydian's mom, Naomi Baker, told FOX 17 Friday afternoon.
Naomi and her son were driving down Clyde Park toward 36th Street when she says a driver suddenly pulled out of a nearby parking lot and directly in front of them.
“A driver decided that she was going to pull out at Big Top [Market] at a pretty good speed, and just go straight in front of me. She didn't look to see if there was any traffic,” Naomi said.
She says her vehicle "T-boned" the other going about 45 miles per hour, the posted speed limit.
“I was almost unconscious, but I was still there a little bit, but my son was completely unconscious, bleeding from the nose, and he wouldn't make any noise, move,” she explained.
Rhydian was taken to the hospital by ambulance—because of COVID protocol, Naomi and her husband had to follow in his vehicle.
The 6-year-old is now dealing with a long list of injuries, slowly making progress in his recovery.
“He's got three injuries in the spine, he's got blood leaking in his brain, the back of his head, and his arms are paralyzed," his mom told FOX 17.
"His diaphragm over his left lung is completely paralyzed as well, from a spinal cord, and then the neck injury into the shoulders. So his left lung is not working by itself, so the ventilator is what's helping that.”
Naomi says Friday morning was the first time Rhydian had responded to verbal prompts given.
"I think I cried so hard, but I was happy, and my husband had to told me to calm down, because he said, 'He's gonna think that you're scared or you're sad,'" she said.
It was a moment of hopefulness they desperately needed. And they also need financial support from those able to give.
**You can donate to the family's GoFundMe account by clinking HERE**
The family has also started an account at Lake Michigan Credit Union, to which anyone can donate funds. Just stop by any branch and tell them you would like to deposit money into the account of Rhydian Chase Baker (or his grandmother, Sarah Lampson).
Even though Naomi injured both her ribs and her knee in the crash, she hasn't left her son's bedside. Beyond the surgeries he is already facing in the coming weeks, Rhydian will also need extensive rehabilitation.
“We shouldn't have to stress about money while my son is laying in a bed unconscious, and has for 14 days,” she told FOX 17 on Friday.
“Hug your children and... even if you think you're the safest driver in the world, pay attention to your surroundings, because others are not.”
