Hominy teen offers a life-saving tip about ATV's

A Hominy teenager has a second chance at life after a four wheeler accident nearly killed her. It happened on the Fourth of July at Hominy Lake in Osage County. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter Patrina Adger

Tuesday, September 7th 2004, 9:44 am

By: News On 6

A Hominy teenager has a second chance at life after a four wheeler accident nearly killed her. It happened on the Fourth of July at Hominy Lake in Osage County.

News on 6 reporter Patrina Adger says Jillian Jones hopes her message of helmet safety saves someone's life.

"I don't like really remember getting on a four wheeler or anything. But I guess I went riding on the four wheeler and wrecked." And Jones is thankful to be alive to talk about it.

This active 16 year old Hominy High School cheerleader and basketball player will be sidelined for at least a year, following an accident at Hominy Lake which almost took her life.

Jillian doesn't remember much about the accident, but friends say Jillian and a friend were riding their four wheeler along a road when they lost their balance, sending the two girls and the four wheeler down a steep hill. Jillian was taken by medical helicopter to a Tulsa hospital with severe brain trauma and a fractured eye socket.

She laid in a coma for a month, while family and friends prayed at her bedside, hoping she'd pull through. "She finally opened her eyes and I knew she was looking at me, big step."

Ronda Jones says her daughter's head injuries might not have been so severe if she were wearing a helmet. Jillian went through weeks of therapy to learn to talk and walk again and just days after her release from the hospital, Jillian was well enough to walk the football field to toss the coin in her school's first football game. "Big, big moment for her and for us!"

Now- Jillian is back in school, but her doctors want her to take it easy, so she's only attending part time. Her friends, though, are thrilled to have her back.

Jillian says if anyone learns anything from her story it's this life-saving tip. "Everyone should wear a helmet if they're riding a four wheeler."