Gabe Kibblewhite is cracking jokes. He害羞草研究所檚 missing a chunk of his hair. He害羞草研究所檚 had some fun with visiting nursing students. He expects to be playing baseball again as early as next week (HE expects that. Won害羞草研究所檛 happen as he害羞草研究所檚 on the injured list for at least six months).
And, like a lot of 14-year-olds, he害羞草研究所檚 starving.
What害羞草研究所檚 remarkable about the Vernon teen is Kibblewhite is doing all this less than a week after being severely injured when hit by a vehicle in a city crosswalk.
And he害羞草研究所檚 doing it, now, from the comfort of his Harwood area home.
Gabe Kibblewhite is a miracle. His friends know it. His doctors know it. His nurses know it. And his family knows it.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e still in shock having him home,害羞草研究所� said Kibblewhite害羞草研究所檚 mom, Kailea. 害羞草研究所淓very single person we害羞草研究所檝e talked to has said they can害羞草研究所檛 believe where we are today (Aug. 2). 害羞草研究所淭here were three or four doctors who worked on him, and were off on the weekend, they came in and wanted to see him.
害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 a miracle. They needed to see what this kid is doing. He shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be home already.害羞草研究所�
It害羞草研究所檚 late Friday afternoon, July 28, somewhere between 5 and 5:30 p.m. Gabe is coming home on his scooter from his gym on 24th Street, in Vernon害羞草研究所檚 north end, and he害羞草研究所檚 stopped at the crosswalk at 48th Avenue. It害羞草研究所檚 a route he takes religiously to and from his workouts.
Gabe looks both ways to cross the four-lane stretch of road. As he waits, one car stops to wave him across. Gabe looks again as he starts to cross the roadway. He doesn害羞草研究所檛 see a vehicle, possibly a pickup truck. It害羞草研究所檚 the vehicle that strikes him. That害羞草研究所檚 the last thing Gabe remembers about that afternoon.
Kailea had just returned from Penticton, where her oldest son was in a hockey camp for a week. She went to her office to do some paperwork to get ready for the following Monday. Her husband was en route to Vancouver with the Kibblewhite害羞草研究所檚 third child for baseball provincials. Kailea害羞草研究所檚 cell rang at about 6:15 p.m. Friends were calling about Gabe, and reaching out about the incident on social media.
Kailea called her husband, who had arrived in Vancouver, and told him he had to come back. Gabe was hit by a vehicle and it害羞草研究所檚 not known how bad he害羞草研究所檚 hurt.
Gabe had been rushed to Kelowna General Hospital, bypassing Vernon Jubilee. That move may have saved his life.
害羞草研究所淥nce I got to Kelowna, everything is a bit of a blur,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 was told he害羞草研究所檇 been hit by a motor vehicle and that was about it. The social worker that met me tried to get me to see him before surgery, but there was no time. I talked to a couple of doctors on the phone who asked about releases and some questions, and I said do whatever you had to do.害羞草研究所�
Gabe had suffered multiple skull fractures, some bleeding in the brain, and suspected broken bones and internal injuries. He was in surgery nearly five hours. A metal plate was inserted (hence the loss of his hair on a quarter side of his head) to recreate that side of his skull which had suffered many fragments and cracks.
As for broken limbs, there was a broken leg, but there was no internal damage. His heart and lungs 害羞草研究所� considering the impact Gabe endured 害羞草研究所� were fine.
害羞草研究所淭hat was a shock,害羞草研究所� said Kailea. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 one of the reasons we are where we are (today). Had there been internal damage, things may have been a lot different.害羞草研究所�
Kailea害羞草研究所檚 sister is a labour/delivery nurse in VJH害羞草研究所檚 maternity ward, so she prepped Kailea about what she might expect when seeing Gabe for the first time post-surgery in the intensive care unit.
害羞草研究所淚 was expecting the worst but he was just a little puffy. And he was missing quite a few teeth (liquid diet, thus, starving teen). And he was missing his hair. He said they needed to figure out how to make his hair look good. That害羞草研究所檚 all he should be worrying about. It害羞草研究所檚 all he should be caring about.害羞草研究所�
The next six months will be crucial to Gabe害羞草研究所檚 recovery. There will be lots of appointments and specialists visits. Kailea says her son is repeating himself a lot.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a lot we don害羞草研究所檛 know and might not know for a bit,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e going to do everything we can to help him through this. Now comes the reality. What will his future look like. He thinks he害羞草研究所檚 going to play baseball next weekend.
害羞草研究所淗e feels OK but doesn害羞草研究所檛 realize it害羞草研究所檚 the mental side that害羞草研究所檚 being affected. Everything else, leg, hair, teeth, those can be fixed. The brain portion needs a rest.害羞草研究所�
And he can do that rest at his home.
Gabe arrived Thursday, Aug. 1, to a hero害羞草研究所檚 welcome, as many friends and family members greeted him outside the family home with banners, hugs and fist bumps. His Vernon Canadians baseball teammates were there in uniform.
Gabe wasn害羞草研究所檛 wearing a helmet the day of his accident. His family wants to make the wearing of helmets the next cool thing.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e going to make this initiative, make it something to be the right thing to do,害羞草研究所� said Kailea. 害羞草研究所淕abe is charismatic and social, and has made an impact on everybody he害羞草研究所檚 met. If this is his calling, helmet promotion, we害羞草研究所檙e going to do it. I never 害羞草研究所� ever 害羞草研究所� want another parent to experience what that phone call was like. This could have happened to anybody.害羞草研究所�
It happened to Gabe Kibblewhite, 14, an eternally optimistic young soul. Asked if her son was having nightmares, Kailea said everyone is asking that and the answer is no.
害羞草研究所淗e says, 害羞草研究所業害羞草研究所檓 alive,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 she said. 害羞草研究所淭here are no nightmares. He害羞草研究所檚 so positive and that will be huge for his recovery.害羞草研究所�
The Kibblewhites would like to express their thanks to all of the first responders, the witnesses on the scene who stayed with Gabe and kept him calm, surrounded by love, all the personnel at Kelowna General Hospital, their family and their friends.
害羞草研究所淭he amount of support we feel is amazing,害羞草研究所� said Kailea. 害羞草研究所淰ernon is a pretty awesome little area. We害羞草研究所檙e very blessed.害羞草研究所�
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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