CREVE COEUR, Mo. — Eleven days after a car crash nearly cost him his life, Sam Boydston is not only up and walking, but preparing to be released from the hospital.
Like many 16-year-olds, Sam Boydston lives for Friday night on the field with his teammates.
“Football is everything to me honestly,” Sam Boydston said.
A standout in the classroom, and on the field, the Parkway North junior has garnered interest from college recruiters.
“All of his dreams and his future were tied to football,” Rob Boydston said. “Going to college was his dream. All of his heroes were college quarterbacks and NFL quarterbacks. That’s been his dream since he was a little boy.”
On Jan. 26, that dream was brought to a screeching halt near Interstate 170 and Page Avenue.
“It was possibly the most frightening time in his and my mother’s life,” Rob said. “[At] 9:17 p.m. we got a text notification from Apple that there had been an accident.”
Three of Boydston’s friends escaped the car as it caught fire.
Sam’s best friend, and Parkway North football teammate, Jordan Clark went back to help against the urging of bystanders.
“Sam was still in the car and couldn’t get his seatbelt off,” Rob Boydston said. “His wrist was fractured. He wormed his way just outside of the window.”
“I remember he actually picked me up and pulled me away from the car as it started to smoke and light on fire,” Sam said.
“That’s a hero,” Rob said.
Doctors at Mercy Hospital quickly realized Boydston had burst vertebrae and would need emergency surgery to fuse his spine.
“Football really saved his life,” Rob said. “If you ask the surgeon, the daily workouts, weight lifting, exercise and flexibility had he not had such a strong core he would have severed his spine.”
Football may now be in Boydston’s past.
“The thing that hit the hardest was when Sam asked (the doctor) 'When will I be back on the field,'” Rob said. “He said, there will be no more tackle football for you son.”
Twenty-four hours after surgery, Sam was up walking laps around the hospital and taking steps towards his future.
“I want to go to college and major in construction management,” Sam said.
“Life’s not over,” Rob said. “Life’s a big, long journey we get to do together and we’re just blessed for that.”
Once he’s released from the hospital Sam will return home to continue his recovery.
Doctors are requiring Boydston to wear a back brace for several weeks and he will need at least one year of intensive physical therapy.
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