7/10/2008

By TIM UNRUH

Salina Journal

HERINGTON -- Abel Perez saw the pickup truck fishtail out of control, leave the road and crash into the water.

His wife, Teresa, joined him in a 40-yard sprint to the crash site, where they gave assistance to the driver and a passenger.

The Salina couple were focused on the pickup cab when a woman ran up, screaming, "Where's Jesse?"

Perez, who pulled his camper to Herington City Lake on July 2 to secure a spot for the Fourth of July weekend, remembered seeing a boy fishing nearby.

There was no obvious sign of him, until Perez spotted a fishing pole on the shore and then moved his eyes to the muddy water.

"There he was, laying face down in the water, like a rag doll. To me, he was dead," Perez said. "I yelled out, 'There he is,' and his (great) uncle and aunt jumped in the water before I could."

The boy, Jesse Wray, 9, Herington, was fishing in a children's fishing area at Herington City Lake when he was struck by the pickup driven by Justin Morris, 23, Fort Riley.

Jesse was knocked unconscious and into the lake, according to a press release from the Dickinson County Sheriff's Office.

Jesse's great aunt, Collette Bogart, Brookville, picked up the boy and noticed his face was black and blue, Perez said.

"She dropped him and ran out of the water. She was screaming 'He's dead, he's dead, they killed him.' Then the (great) uncle (Jerry Bogart) picked him up out of the water. I jumped into the water and took Jesse from him," Perez recalled.

God: Take action

As he knelt on shore next to the youngster, Perez said he was told by God to take action. Drawing on what he learned from the Saline County Sheriff's Citizens Academy in the early 1990s, Perez began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

"I tried it like the book said to do. I blew in his mouth and pumped on the stomach, and I got nothing," he said. "Then I remembered to tilt his head back."

After the fourth cycle of giving Jesse breaths and chest compressions, Perez told his wife to get a blanket to cover the body.

"His body was white. His face was still black and blue. I was getting tired of doing CPR," Perez said. "Something told me to try one more time. I took more air, pinched Jesse's nose and I gave him another puff."

Finally, there was a sign of life.

"I heard his tummy gurgle. Then he vomited, big time, and started breathing," Perez said.

But Jesse collapsed again.

"Then I thought, 'Now wait a minute, you were here dude, you've gotta come back,' " Perez said. "I went back and just wiped his little face, pinched his nose and gave him more air. On the second try, he bit my lip. It was like he was talking to me."

Jesse vomited again. His eyes opened and he began to cry.

"Then I just kneeled and looked to Heaven and said, 'Thank you, God. He is with me,' " Perez said.

Heard screaming and crying

Perez remained calm during the ordeal, which attracted a crowd.

"I heard screaming and crying prior to that, but once I got to work, it was just me and Jesse," Perez said.

A woman dressed in surgical scrubs arrived and took over Jesse's care. The sheriff's office listed a Wendy Miller from Herington as helping pull Jesse from the lake. She could not be reached Wednesday.

Jesse was far from stable, however. Herington paramedics arrived next.

His mother, Heidi Peterson, Herington, said Jesse was taken to Herington Municipal Hospital and then flown to Topeka. He was taken by ground ambulance to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.

Bad weather prevented him from being flown all the way to Kansas City, she said.

A broken leg and more

Jesse suffered a broken right leg and left wrist, three broken ribs and a cracked collarbone, his mother said.

He was given a pint of blood when he arrived at the hospital, and endured 51âÑ2 hours of exploratory surgery, where his intestines, liver and spleen were repaired, she said.

There was a second surgery on Jesse's leg Saturday, and he has another one scheduled for today, Peterson said.

The hospital listed Jesse in fair condition Wednesday. Peterson said her son took his first ride in a wheelchair since surgery on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Jesse stood on his "good leg."

Changed wedding plans

The family was at the Herington City Lake to rehearse for Heidi Peterson's wedding, which was planned for July 4. The crash changed plans.

She was at work when Jesse was injured.

Heidi married Michael Peterson, Herington, on Tuesday in Jesse's hospital room. They plan to stage a full wedding ceremony when Jesse recovers -- complete with fireworks.

"This is one of his favorite holidays. We're going to give it to him as soon as he gets out of here," Heidi Peterson said.

Jesse's family made contact with Perez on July 3 to express their thanks. He gets daily updates on Jesse's condition. Abel and Teresa Perez plan to visit him today in Kansas City.

"It will be nice to see him -- not like we saw him the first time -- to know he's OK," Teresa said.

'I think he's an angel'

Several members of Jesse's family have called the Perezes to express their thanks.

"I think he's an angel," Heidi Peterson said. "I can't thank him enough for what he's done."

Perez intends to stay connected to the youngster forever, and that's fine with Jesse's mother.

"He told me he doesn't care what we think. He put his breath in my little boy and he's going to be part of his life," Peterson said. "He's more than welcome to come anytime. He's pretty much family now."

Driver sitting in jail

The pickup driver, Morris, was arrested on charges of DUI and reckless driving.

Dickinson County Attorney Keith Hoffman said charges were amended to aggravated battery and DUI, and Hoffman has filed a motion to increase Morris's bond from $2,500 to $50,000. A judge will decide on bail at Morris's next court appearance July 17.

Morris, who is in the U.S. Army, remains in the county jail.

n Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by e-mail at tunruh@salina.com.