ORANGE PARK, Fla. – The victim of a head-on D.U.I. collision met his rescuers for the first time during a heartwarming reunion Monday.
Dylan Roughton, 21, has a new appreciation for life after he was involved in the crash last month in Maxville. He was traveling from south Florida to North Carolina to visit family when troopers said another vehicle hit him head-on.
Both Jacksonville and Clay County Fire Rescue departments responded to the scene.
Roughton was pinned in the car and rescuers had to use the Jaws of Life to cut him out.
"To tell you the truth, as we walked up, I wasn't sure if he was alive or not," said Capt. David Teetsell, with Clay County Fire Rescue.
Both of Roughton's legs were broken. He also had a shattered pelvis and suffered traumatic brain injury. Roughton said he doesn't remember the crash at all.
"They showed me pictures of being on life support and showed me everything that happened," he said. "I saw my car and all the evidence and I just broke down."
When Roughton's mother, Angie Hunter, heard the news, she quickly made the trip to Orange Park Medical Center, where her son was on life support.
"I thought I had lost him. I couldn't go through that again, not him. We have an amazing bond. He's my whole heart," Hunter said.
After several surgeries and weeks of rehabilitation, Roughton will be heading home to see his 2-month-old son and fiancee. But first, he wanted to thank his heroes in uniform.
"I wish I just knew what to say to you guys for saving me," Roughton said.
The first responders who went to visit Roughton on Monday at Orange Park Medical Center replied by saying that just seeing him was all the thanks they needed.
Roughton still has a long road to recovery, and he'll have to learn how to walk again. But despite what doctors are saying, Roughton plans to be back on his feet in less than a year.
First responders with both fire rescue departments held a boot drive after the crash and during Monday's reunion, they gave Roughton the money to help with the cost of his medical expenses.