POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. -- On October 1, the life of a Powhatan father and son changed in the blink of an eye.
Arron Handschumacher is still trying to wrap his mind around what happened to his 14-year-old son Evan and the child's mother early that morning.
“The kid is a very lovable young man. I don't think he deserved it,” said Handschumacher of his son.
Evan
Just two days after his birthday, Evan was riding on a moped with his mom, when they were hit from behind by a van.
State police said the two were riding a black moped at 1:30 Saturday morning without any lights on, along Route 60 just west of Academy Road in Powhatan.
“She crossed over the intersection and was getting ready to go Westbound, instead of stopping. Then a van at about 55 mph ran right up on them... She was barely going 5 miles an hour,” he said.
The father says Evan who underwent surgery on his skull to reduce pressure on his brain, has a severe spine injury and is now on a ventilator.
Evan
“Now my son is paralyzed, he had a broken femur, a broken left arm, bruised ribs, collapsed lungs and a broken ankle," he said.
Soon Handschumacher says they'll have to figure out how to carry on day to day, and make major adjustments to a new life with new, difficult challenges.
Arron Handschumacher
“I'm told he'll never walk again," he said emotionally. "I’m coping with that... he’s in the recovery stage.”
The teen's mom is still recovering at a local hospital.
State police are still investigating the accident.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Evan who's expected to be in recovery for at least six months.
