BOISE, Idaho — An army veteran from Star, Idaho is embarking on the road to recovery after a car crash sent him to the ICU.
According to the Ada County Sheriff’s Department, the crash occurred on May 17th, just before 8 am. Both a driver of a vehicle and a motorcycle were involved and transported to the hospital. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Kevin Wallett, said he was on his way to take his final exam for his EMT certification. His life came to a screeching halt at the intersection of Cherry Lane and McDermott Road in Meridian.
“I remember feeling, like, this isn't real,” Wallet said.
According to Wallet, a handful of people rushed over to help when they witnessed the crash.
“First, I saw one car up on the road with someone standing by it and she was extremely upset, and then I saw the motorcycle down the road kind of off towards the ditch,” said Jenn Skeesic, who was driving her kids to school when the crash occurred.
“Kevin was on his back and he was kind of just kind of rocking back and forth and crying out, I won’t ever lose those images in my head,” Skeesic said.
Wallett's fiancé, Brittany Zeman said she was getting her son ready for school when she received word of the crash.
“I got the text that nobody wants it was like there's been an accident, please go to Saint Alphonsus,” Zeman said. “On the way to the hospital I ran into the crash site and it was just really hard.”
Wallett survived the crash but his life will be forever changed. Not long after the crash, Wallett was told he needed to have half of his shin and entire foot amputated.
“I looked down and I saw no foot and I was like oh my god this isn't real and then everyone came to help and I was like, this is real,” Wallett said.
The couple is trying to stay positive, but they admit that it's not easy.
Wallett was in the army for ten years, serving as a medevac crew chief and is currently training to get him EMT certification, all skills that he says helped save his life.
“I made the choice to mentally be conscious because I thought I was going to die if I didn't,” Wallett said. “I have accepted that I don't have a foot and I will walk again so I am happy about that and I feel fortunate but it’s been hard.”
After six emotional days in the hospital and two major surgeries, the couple is glad to finally be home. However, Wallett says he will have to say goodbye to his passion for riding motorcycles.
“I will never ride again because I do not want to put anybody through the thought of something is going to happen again,” he said.
Wallet and Zeman say they are grateful for all of the citizens who stepped in to help out and save his life.
“It feels like there's some sort of purpose in this and the people that were placed there, there are so many synchronicities coming through our main focus is to look forward,” Zeman said.
The couple has created a GoFundMe to help pay off medical bills and equipment needed for their home.
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