An incredible story of survival; It’s been 8 months since a Christiansburg man’s life changed forever after a horrific motorcycle crash. Thanks to quick emergency care at Lewisgale Medical Center, a newly recognized Level 2 Trauma Center, he is rebuilding his life and is back at the job he loves. LewisGale celebrated him and other trauma patients Wednesday in honor of National Trauma Survivor Day.
Always staying positive
Overcoming tragedy is all about perspective. 29-year-old Elijah Seth Lawson has kept a positive view on life, remaining thankful for what he has, and not focused on what he’s lost.
“I try to keep a good attitude. I’ve never been one to stay down or out about anything,” Lawson said.
He’s alive, and back at the job he loves. He works as a mechanic at Shelor Motor Mile in Christiansburg, a career path he fell in love with because of his father and uncle.
“It’s kind of like a family thing and it just always intrigued me as a little kid, seeing them working on cars. If something was broke — fix it. It’s something I always wanted to do, too,” Lawson said.
A man intrigued by being able to “fix things.” Lawson now finds irony in his own circumstances. In an instant he found himself needing to be fixed.
“I tell everybody I wanted to be part robot since I was a kid, so now I get to be part cyborg,” Lawson joked. He is referring to a massive hip repair and a prosthetic leg.
August 17th, 2023 - the night of the accident
Lawson is an avid Harley Davidson rider and has been since he was old enough to get his license.
When riding through the town of Christiansburg one night last August, the unthinkable happened at an intersection near the Montgomery County Courthouse. He said the stoplight wouldn’t register the weight of his bike to change green. So, after waiting, he took a chance.
“I guess I didn’t look good enough. I just kind of looked and when I pulled out, I pulled out right in front of car, unfortunately,” Lawson recounted. He was awake the entire time. He was in shock, and quickly losing a massive amount of blood. But it took him a moment to realize what had actually happened.
But that wasn’t all. His hip was shattered and his bladder was severely damaged. He lost two pints of blood while laying in the road. Luckily, two off-duty officers just happened to be there to help provide immediate care and wrap his leg in a tourniquet. An ambulance soon rushed him to LewisGale in Salem.
“When they put me under for surgery I woke up three days later,” Lawson said.
His foot was too badly damaged to be reattached. But surgeons were able to save his life and help him transition to the next step.
“They assured me everything was just fine. It wasn’t that bad. They have great prosthetics right now. They really kept me level-headed.” He said one of the doctors who helped him the most was a combat veteran. Lawson said this doctor’s perspective made him realize the injury could have been much worse and that prosthetics could give him back his mobility.
LewisGale is recognized as a Level 2 Trauma Center
Minutes made the difference between life and death in this case. Fast emergency care by those on the scene and the trauma team at LewisGale saved Lawson’s life.
Dr. Jaromir Kohout is the Trauma Medical Director at LewisGale in Salem.
“You want to intervene quickly. You want to intervene within the first hour,” said Dr. Kohout.
It’s been nearly a year since LewisGale became recognized as a Level 2 Trauma Center, meaning they are fully equipped to care for a variety of trauma patients.
“We cover everything from falls, to gunshot wounds to motor vehicle accidents,” Dr. Kohout said.
The designation received in June of 2023 made LewisGale the eighth Level 2 center in Virginia and the first in the region, according to the state health department.
The addition of a trauma center provides patients better access to care, especially in the Roanoke and New River Valley. In Lawson’s case, it saved his life.
“I think really the best reward is a case like this where somebody that if they wouldn’t have had timely care they wouldn’t be doing well. It’s the success and the ‘thank you’s’ that keep us going,” said Dr. Kohout.
“I appreciate everything they did and trying hard to save what they could for me and keeping me as comfortable as possible,” Lawson said. He noted their reassurance helped keep him from getting depressed or down about his situation.
“The nurses routinely checked on me and they are all super nice and sweet. I still talk to a couple of them today. They still routinely check on me and ask me how I’m doing today.”
Lawson is doing great. He quickly adjusted to the prosthetic and even plans to ride a Harley again. He is living life to the fullest and serves as an inspiration to overcoming obstacles. He hopes to connect with other people who may have lost a limb and need a prosthetic so he can offer them reassurance that life goes on, and they can still live life to the fullest.
While he may not be exactly as he once was, like the vehicles he fixes every day, he is repaired and ready to get back on the road.