Children home from hospital after devastating crash into north Mpls park

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Nearly two months after a driver fled police and crashed into a Minneapolis park, a family’s young children are all finally home from the hospital.

Nicolle and Kyle Peltier said doctors told them it's a miracle their children even survived--especially two-year-old Kayden, the most severely injured.

The children are now adjusting to their new normal in a home full of eight kids. 

Kayden doesn't sit still for long, a surprise to many considering the injuries he suffered. Kayden’s first test was to survive an extremely risky surgery because his spinal cord was almost severed. After that, he spent the last few weeks recovering from broken bones and a traumatic brain injury.

"We are talking about completely run over—both wheels running over both children. They shouldn’t be alive,” said.

Kayden’s four-year-old sister Lillie was also run over, but miraculously, she walked away. Three-year-old Konnor was also injured.

The family of seven was with their father at the park, enjoying the first day of summer break when the unthinkable happened. Police say 27-year-old Kabaar Powell plowed into the children after being chased by the state patrol for several miles and blowing through 22 stop signs.

Nicolle remembers those first few days in the hospital very well.

“All you see is a machine hooked up to your kid…I don’t think I’ve ever prayed so much in my life,” Nicolle said.

Luckily, Kayden improved with each day, so much so that doctors removed his halo and eventually released him.

But then, the family grew concerned about how he would actually live with his injuries.

“He could easily hold his neck up and hold himself up now; it’s just starting over again—his muscles are rebuilding their core strength.”

“We’re trying to keep it as normal as it was before, but sometimes it’s really difficult and we just go to the car and cry because it’s so hard.”

Night terrors, fear of going to playground and emotional set backs are part of their reality now.

“It’s almost like they can’t be kids anymore; they feel like they have to take on worries they shouldn’t have to.”

But Nicolle and Kyle are trying to just take it one day at a time and be strong for their family because in November, the family will add another boy to the mix. Unfortunately, the family learned he will be born with his organs on the outside, but the survival rate for his condition is more than 90 percent after surgery.

For GoFundMe information, click here.