PUEBLO — A Pueblo mother and her son are now back home from the hospital, after they were rushed there with serious injuries following a crash that was not their fault. News5 met with the mother and son for their first interview since the crash, to discuss how the healing process is going and the support the community has shown for the family.
The recovery process for Adriana Lagunas will not be easy. She currently cannot put any weight on her legs, and will not be able to do so for around 12 more weeks. She and her six-year-old son were struck by a truck in a head on collision on January 6, that sent both of them to the hospital. Lagunas went to a hospital in Denver, while her son, Jake Benavidez, was taken to Children's Hospital in Colorado Springs."My mom tried to save me," said Benavidez, when asked about how his mother reacted during the accident.
Lagunas said her son had to have three screws put into his back, while she is now in a wheelchair. Lagunas' legs were trapped in the car, and she said it took a while for first responders to get them out of the vehicle. "To think about being stuck in a vehicle and not knowing the fate of your child, or what you’re going through and both bones protruding through your legs as they’re trying to cut you out of a vehicle, I couldn’t even imagine," said Lagunas' aunt, Lucinda Gallegos.
Gallegos and other family members decided to organize a fundraiser to help with Lagunas' medical bills. Dozens of people showed up for the event on Sunday at the Brass Saddle in Pueblo, where the money raised goes directly to Lagunas. Lagunas said she is grateful for the community's support, and simply, that both she and her son are alive. “Thanking God for a second chance at life, because it could have been both of us or just one of us... I’m happy that we’re okay," said Lagunas.
Lagunas said she hopes the man who allegedly caused the crash, 31-year-old Jeremy Molina, is put behind bars. Molina fled the scene of the accident initially, but was taken into custody by Pueblo Police. News5 will keep you updated on what happens to Molina.
If you did not make it to the fundraiser on Sunday, there is another way to help. At any Wells Fargo branch, one can donate to the "Benefit for Adriana" fund, which has the account number 6728603777.
