11-year-old boy in wheelchair after being struck by car on Long Island

Thursday, June 1, 2023
EAST ISLIP, Long Island (WABC) -- An 11-year-old boy is back home and beginning the long road to recovery after he was struck by a speeding car while walking home with his friend.

Erin Reilly a single mother of three was watching as her son, Connor, crossed Connetquot Avenue on May 16th with a friend.

"A car came out of nowhere, faster than anything that we were seeing," Erin said.

"All I remember was going to the crosswalk and all I see is the car," Connor said.

The surveillance video shows the kids as they crossed. Connor's friend is unscathed but Connor collides with the car.

"He was completely non-responsive, and then he went into a full grand mal seizure," Erin said. "So I held my son while he seized for 3 minutes and 21 seconds."

Connor shattered several bones in his foot and hand and his mother said he suffered a traumatic brain injury.

He was an avid lacrosse player but is now confined to a wheelchair after spending several days at Stonybrook Hospital.

The family is awaiting approval for physical, occupational, and speech therapy for Connor.

A GoFundMe was set up for Connor Reilly and has raised just over $8,000 with a goal of $100,000.

While the family is struggling to raise funds for more care for Connor, they are also raising the red flag for all pedestrians and drivers especially as summer traffic out here increases.

"And particularly when you're approaching an intersection with a crosswalk in a residential neighborhood, slow down," family attorney Dan Johnston said.

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