Tulsa Teen, Victim In Drunk Driving Crash Continues Long Road To Recovery

Lori Fullbright, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- We frequently hear about the 10,000 people killed each year by drunk drivers. But we don't often hear about the 300,000 who survive, but face devastating injuries.

That's the case with a 17 year old Tulsa boy.

Adrian is the oldest of four boys and has been playing basketball since he was a little boy. All that ended in May 2010 when he was the passenger in a car that was hit by a drunk driver. Now, he must learn to walk, talk, and even brush his teeth again.

The Tulsa Shock players heard about Adrian and invited him to their practice Thursday night.

Last year, a drunk driver crashed into a car Adrian was riding in with five friends. Adrian was sitting in the front, right side of his friend's car.

After being cut from the car, he spent 27 days in ICU, then two months in Children's Hospital in Oklahoma City. For the first six months, wasn't even responsive.

Lori, News On 6: "Did you ever think he's going to make it?"
Maxine, mother: "Nope, not once."

His mother believes Adrian is a miracle and has continued to defy the odds. Now, he can nod his head, answer questions on an iPad, spell words with blocks and is working to brush his own teeth and his hair.

"The fact Adrian was an athlete, strong and young, all of that is on his side," Maxine said.

The 19-year-old drunk driver was convicted of DUI and leaving the scene and was ordered to serve five years in prison and write apology letters to the victims.

Adrian's mother says she's forgiven the woman and can't use up energy being angry, because all her energy is focused on raising Adrian's brothers and getting him better.

"He keeps me going," she said. "There's so much life in him. He's adamant about getting back to the old Adrian."

She believes the best way to do that is the Quadriciser, a machine that would repeatedly move his arms and legs, to help him regain strength and muscle tone and help his brain's neurons to reconnect.

The problem is, she can't find one at any hospital, physical therapy place or gym in Oklahoma, so she's going to buy one to help him achieve his dreams.

"You ask him, do you believe you will walk again, talk again, play basketball again and he'll shake his head yes," she said.

Through fundraisers, they've raised $10,000 of the $15,000 needed for the Quadriciser.

Donations can be made to:

Bank of Oklahoma
Believing in Adrian
PO Box 6141
Tulsa, OK 74148