Staff writer
A hayrack ride turned scary Sunday for 12-year-old Hillsboro resident Filow Cruz who suffered a serious leg injury as the trailer passed through a gate.
Cruz’s legs had been hanging off of the trailer prior to the accident.
“By the time he saw everyone putting their feet up, he got one leg up, but the gate caught the other and pulled him,” mother Angie Zaragoza said. “They said if he hadn’t jumped off, it would have torn his leg off.”
The gate sliced a deep, wide gash in Cruz’s left leg that was bleeding profusely.
Among the 230 attending the event Sunday was Hillsboro Clinic PA-C Joshua Smith, whom Zaragoza credited with “saving his life.”
“Josh was right there,” Zaragoza said. “He was on the ride with
Filow and he took care of him until the ambulance got there.”
Initially thought to be broken, doctors made a surprising discovery Tuesday as they operated on Cruz’s leg for a second time.
“They said that the bone is not broken,” Zaragoza said. “I don’t know how, but I’m just thankful that now they’re saying it’s not broken.”
Zaragoza was in shock after hearing the initial news, because of how much blood he had lost.
“I had to call people to double check and make sure I heard correctly,” Zaragoza said. “I know I haven’t had sleep, but I know I’m not THAT crazy.”
Zaragoza said that Cruz is scheduled to come home today from the hospital.
“He’s still got some other damage,” Zaragoza said. “They’re making sure those muscles in the back of the leg don’t die.”
Zaragoza and Cruz are both thankful for the support of the Hillsboro community. Zaragoza said it helped Cruz through the ordeal.
“He was really so out of it, but he’s too stubborn to let something like this get him down,” Zaragoza said. “He’s stubborn like mama.”