Gabe Kibblewhite is cracking jokes. He香蕉视频直播檚 missing a chunk of his hair. He香蕉视频直播檚 had some fun with visiting nursing students. He expects to be playing baseball again as early as next week (HE expects that. Won香蕉视频直播檛 happen as he香蕉视频直播檚 on the injured list for at least six months).

And, like a lot of 14-year-olds, he香蕉视频直播檚 starving.

What香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 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.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e still in shock having him home,香蕉视频直播� said Kibblewhite香蕉视频直播檚 mom, Kailea. 香蕉视频直播淓very single person we香蕉视频直播檝e talked to has said they can香蕉视频直播檛 believe where we are today (Aug. 2). 香蕉视频直播淭here were three or four doctors who worked on him, and were off on the weekend, they came in and wanted to see him.

香蕉视频直播淗e香蕉视频直播檚 a miracle. They needed to see what this kid is doing. He shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be home already.香蕉视频直播�

It香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 north end, and he香蕉视频直播檚 stopped at the crosswalk at 48th Avenue. It香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檛 see a vehicle, possibly a pickup truck. It香蕉视频直播檚 the vehicle that strikes him. That香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 third child for baseball provincials. Kailea香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 not known how bad he香蕉视频直播檚 hurt.

Gabe had been rushed to Kelowna General Hospital, bypassing Vernon Jubilee. That move may have saved his life.

香蕉视频直播淥nce I got to Kelowna, everything is a bit of a blur,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 was told he香蕉视频直播檇 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.香蕉视频直播�

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 香蕉视频直播� considering the impact Gabe endured 香蕉视频直播� were fine.

香蕉视频直播淭hat was a shock,香蕉视频直播� said Kailea. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 one of the reasons we are where we are (today). Had there been internal damage, things may have been a lot different.香蕉视频直播�

Kailea香蕉视频直播檚 sister is a labour/delivery nurse in VJH香蕉视频直播檚 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.

香蕉视频直播淚 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香蕉视频直播檚 all he should be worrying about. It香蕉视频直播檚 all he should be caring about.香蕉视频直播�

The next six months will be crucial to Gabe香蕉视频直播檚 recovery. There will be lots of appointments and specialists visits. Kailea says her son is repeating himself a lot.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a lot we don香蕉视频直播檛 know and might not know for a bit,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙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香蕉视频直播檚 going to play baseball next weekend.

香蕉视频直播淗e feels OK but doesn香蕉视频直播檛 realize it香蕉视频直播檚 the mental side that香蕉视频直播檚 being affected. Everything else, leg, hair, teeth, those can be fixed. The brain portion needs a rest.香蕉视频直播�

And he can do that rest at his home.

Gabe arrived Thursday, Aug. 1, to a hero香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檛 wearing a helmet the day of his accident. His family wants to make the wearing of helmets the next cool thing.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e going to make this initiative, make it something to be the right thing to do,香蕉视频直播� said Kailea. 香蕉视频直播淕abe is charismatic and social, and has made an impact on everybody he香蕉视频直播檚 met. If this is his calling, helmet promotion, we香蕉视频直播檙e going to do it. I never 香蕉视频直播� ever 香蕉视频直播� want another parent to experience what that phone call was like. This could have happened to anybody.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淗e says, 香蕉视频直播業香蕉视频直播檓 alive,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭here are no nightmares. He香蕉视频直播檚 so positive and that will be huge for his recovery.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淭he amount of support we feel is amazing,香蕉视频直播� said Kailea. 香蕉视频直播淰ernon is a pretty awesome little area. We香蕉视频直播檙e very blessed.香蕉视频直播�

roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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