In the blink of an eye, an otherwise normal Tuesday morning turned tragic for the Kalapp family. Four-year-old Liam was playing outside of his home when he was nearly crushed by a car.

“It’s that scream that every mother knows. They are into something and it’s gone horribly wrong,” said Amilee Kalapp, Liam’s mother.

He was trapped.

“The only thing I could do was scream,” said Amilee. A friend of Amilee’s, who was visiting, came rushing outside when he heard her screams. Liam’s head was inches away from the tire.

Quickly, he got the attention of people nearby. They mustered enough strength to lift the car and pull Liam out. Because of supporters like you, Liam received the care he needed at the time he needed it most and is now a thriving 7-year-old.

“All the pressure sent the blood to his head,” Amilee said. “Of course his head was purple and when they pulled him out he wasn’t breathing.” Medics flew Liam to the Level One Trauma Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. His condition was not good. Liam’s parents did not know if Liam would even survive the transport to the Trauma Center and they prepared themselves for the worst.

Liam’s Aunt, Betsy Kalapp, who had coincidentally toured the Level One Trauma Center a week earlier, recalls her emotions: “It was a very helpless feeling to be so far away at a time when my family needed to be together, but I was confident Liam would receive the best possible care from a very capable, experienced staff at a time when minutes mattered.”

Miraculously, Liam suffered some scrapes, bruises and a few broken ribs, but nothing life-threatening. It wasn’t long before Liam was home, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Kalapp family knows they have a lot to be thankful for, from the strangers who were in the right place at the right time, the caregivers at Arnold Palmer Hospital’s trauma center to the resilience of their four-year-old Liam. Thanks to your continued support of the only Level One Trauma Center in Central Florida, Liam survived this tragic accident. Today, he is a thriving and healthy seven-year-old who recently made the honor roll. And proudly earned his green belt in Tae Kwon Do.

If you’d like to make a gift to support the hospital that saved Liam’s life, please use the enclosed envelope. To learn more about the Level One Trauma Center at Arnold Palmer Hospital please contact Zach Kallenbach at 321-841-5149.