Jason

It appears as if Jason Silveira is indestructible, as sturdy as the Golden Gate Bridge.

How else can you explain his recovery from an accident that doctors say could’ve either killed or permanently injured him in a million different ways?

While helping out around his grandfather’s Strathmore farm in late November 2007, Jason got caught up in the rotating spikes of a manure spreader.

“He had helped put leaves in there,” said Jason’s mother, Candi. “My dad was taking them to spread them between the trees so they would decompose. He had told Jason to go up to the house. He didn’t.”

Jason was sitting on the spreader when it started. The end result was a nasty injury worthy of a movie or TV documentary.

Two spikes went into his chest, but those were the least of his worries. Another one penetrated the right side of his jaw, went through the backside of his mouth, through the sinuses and the back of the nose and into his left eye socket. Jason’s head had been pierced.

“It was a hard thing to see,” said Jason’s father, Ron. “I don’t wish any father to have to see their son that way.”

Firefighters had to cut Jason out of the manure box, but leave the spikes in his body. He was airlifted to a local trauma center, where he underwent six hours of emergency surgery to remove the rods.

Amazingly, Jason survived and was stabilized for the next step in his journey to recovery. Two days after his surgery, he was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital Central California.

Fortunately, the blade had missed his brain by inches. He was stable, but the spike destroyed the bone in his left eye socket and pushed his eyeball almost completely out. Without major reconstructive surgery, Jason would have serious problems for the rest of his life. It’s a good thing he was in the one place in Central California where he could find specialized surgeons with this kind of experience.

Children’s plastic surgeon Dr. Angela Rodriguez joined Jason’s care team, and his surgery was scheduled. She used pieces of bone from the young man’s skull to reconstruct his eye socket. The results are nothing short of amazing, both in appearance and function.

“He looks awesome,” says his mom.

About two weeks after an accident that easily could’ve claimed his life, the 10-year-old was on his way back to his Tulare home. His recovery pleased everyone, even Dr. Rodriguez.

“He surprised me,” she said. “Kids always surprise me. That’s why I like working with them.”

Today, Jason has perfect vision, no brain damage, and has been cleared to resume all activities. He’s back to being the same active kid he was before the accident, battle wounds and all.

Mom points out the scar on his chest and jokes about all the stories Jason will be able to tell as he grows older.

Journey Sponsored by Rhonda Slater and Family
Adventure Sponsored by Earl & Muriel Smittcamp