Child Struck By SUV Dies

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- A little boy who wandered away from home and into traffic on Friday afternoon has died.  The child had autism and darted in front of an SUV and was hit.  A young nursing student is one of the people who helped care for him until the ambulance arrived.

07/03/2009 Related Story: Child Struck By SUV In Tulsa

Courtney Driskell feels God put her at the scene for a reason and says even in the midst of the terrible tragedy, there is good to be found.

Courtney Driskell had been wondering if it was God's will for her to go back to nursing school and during a prayer, had recently asked for a sign.  She believes she got that sign last Friday when she pulled up to a horrible scene, a little boy lying unconscious and bleeding in the middle of the intersection at 41^st and Yale.

She jumped out of her car, stayed calm, gave first aid, and then held the child's hand and prayed.

"I think a lot of people, when stuff like that happens, people are like, where's God, something so tragic, a loving God wouldn't allow this. But, they don't see what's going on behind the scenes. He had someone there praying for that boy, made sure I was there. He was in control of that situation, even if it didn't look like it," said Courtney Driskell.

Driskell wrote about the experience on Facebook.  She says several little things conspired to put her at 41st and Yale on that day at that exact time.  She believes God put her there to give comfort to a hurting child.

"If he can hear my voice and I'm praying over him and talking, he can feel someone, it has to bring him comfort. I did what I felt his mom would want me to do.  What I would hope someone would do for my child," said Courtney Driskell.

Driskell believes she got the sign she was looking for and plans to return to nursing school and hopefully one day become a doctor, so she can offer to help to those in need in the future.

She doesn't in anyway want to come off as a hero.  Driskell credits God and the many other people who stopped to help and wanted only the best for the little boy.

The child's mother called Driskell to thank you her and said she hopes Courtney has peace that she did all that could be done.