Flight For Life patient No. 10,000 lives to receive honor

Before paramedics even got close enough to see Johnathan Quijada's face, they knew Flight For Life would need to be called.

It was Halloween night and the Waukegan teen had just been struck by a car and dragged several feet. His clothing was torn, his face bleeding. Internally, Johnathan's skull was damaged and his femur, rib and facial bones broken.

"It was so bad that I wasn't sure if he was dressed in a Halloween costume or not," said Waukegan firefighter Rick Van Horn, who was one of the first people on the scene.

Johnathan was Flight For Life-Northern Illinois' 10,000th patient, and on Monday, the Waukegan Fire Department and Flight For Life honored him.

"All of us only make up parts of the opportunity for the patient to survive," said Tammy Chatman, professional relations manager with Flight For Life. "The family and the patient themselves have to make the next steps forward. Johnathan's mom stayed at the hospital every single day. And she has five other children."

Johnathan was crossing Lewis Avenue, at Yorkhouse Road, when friends say he tripped and was hit by a car that slowed but never stopped.

Police still haven't identified the person who hit Johnathan.

Johnathan's parents, Rodolfo and Rosario Quijada, were told he probably wouldn't survive his injuries.

"When we saw him, he didn't look like my son. He didn't look human," said Rodolfo Quijada. "We only got a minute with him, and then the doctors needed to work on him. I didn't think he was going to make it."

After three surgeries, Johnathan was released from Lutheran General Hospital Nov. 29, one day before his 15th birthday.

"It was the best birthday present," Rosario Quijada said.

Johnathan is back at school three days a week. He still suffers memory loss and is unable to walk and move the way he did before the accident, but his parents say he recovers a little more every day.

On Monday, Johnathan was joined by his parents, siblings and friends at the celebration honoring his recovery. Pink burns on the right side of his forehead and cheek from the car's catalytic converter were the only visible signs left from his accident.

He joked with a friend and talked on his cell phone, but was shy with all of the attention.

"It's a little overwhelming," he said.