'It's Hard...Don't Give Up'

'It's Hard...Don't Give Up'

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Story Published: Mar 16, 2005 at 10:47 PM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 1:53 AM PDT

By Kevin Reece

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KING COUNTY - Luisa's Mexican Restaurant in Crown Hill raised more than $16,000 Wednesday night to pay the medical bills for Nick Messenger, 12.

But a Kirkland family wanted to offer something perhaps even more valuable to the family of the young boy who was critically injured when he was hit by a car one month ago. They wanted to offer hope.

On the same night thousands packed Luisa's to open their hearts and their wallets for the Messenger family, the Lyons family was singing happy birthday at Plaza Garcia Mexican Restaurant in Juanita. It was the 21st birthday party of Sean Lyons who knows far too well what the Messenger family is suffering through now.

"Both femurs were shattered," said Sean's mom Tina of the 1989 accident in Everett that nearly killed her son.

Sean was just 5 years old when a driver speeding down a one way street ran into him. He had a lacerated liver and a bruised heart and a traumatic brain injury that put him in a coma for 4 months and kept him in the hospital for a year. Tina says some of the nurses who cared for Sean later admitted they did not think he would survive.

"I just said to her 'you didn't expect him to live, did you?' And she said 'no.' None of them expected him to live."

"I can remember it was a sunny day when I got hit by a car," Sean said in a sometimes raspy voice that is slowed by the brain injury of 16-years ago and complications of intubation and a tracheotomy. But he and his family celebrate that he is still here at all.

He's active, has traveled several times to Europe with his family, and is still fighting to lead a happy productive life.

"We are very proud of him," said Sean's father Jack of the effort Sean has made to recover from his injuries. "He's done a great job. He's a hard worker."

His hard work and struggle to survive is what Sean hopes can somehow be motivation for Nick Messenger's family.

"It's hard," Sean said of the rehabilitation and recovery. "Don't give up."

Sean blushed a little as the Plaza Garcia waiters put a sombrero on his head, a birthday cake and candle on the table in front of him, and sang a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday Panchito." But his smile told you it was a 21st birthday he fought for and one he hopes Nick Messenger will get to share too.

Wednesday night Nick Messenger had been upgraded to serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

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