Paxton's Crawford an inspiration to community

By TRAVIS DOWNEY

Northwest Florida Daily News
315-4476 | travisd@nwfdailynews.com

The fact that Friday night's baseball game between area rivals Paxton and Laurel Hill was suspended due to darkness in the second inning did nothing to diminish the buzz in the air.

Not after 14-year-old Dillon Crawford, who eight months earlier had been given little to no chance of survival following a harrowing ATV accident, threw out a first pitch that few could have ever seen coming.

"To see the excitement in his face and see him walk out there with his dad," Paxton baseball coach Jeff Bradley said before taking an extended pause to recollect himself and his emotions, "it was a pretty emotional time."

Crawford called the first-pitch experience "awesome" and "an honor."

"Coach Bradley told me I could throw the first pitch, that meant a lot to me," Crawford said. "A whole lot."

It was just last June that Crawford suffered severe head injuries when the ATV he was operating flipped just a few miles from his home. Crawford spent five weeks in PICU at Sacred Heart Hospital where doctors informed his parents, Kenny and Carol, that even if he survived the accident, he might not come out of a coma.

After five weeks at Sacred Heart, Crawford was transferred to Children's Hospital of Atlanta at Scottish Rite. Seven weeks later, Dillon awoke and informed the family that he would like a hot dog, "ketchup only, please."

"He's come a long way," Kenny Crawford said of his son. "From death's door to where he's at now. He wasn't supposed to (be able to ) talk, or be able to function at all. He's just a walking miracle."

Crawford is also an inspiration to everyone whose path he has since crossed.

 "He's going to be a tremendous example for a lot of kids," Bradley said.

Crawford, who was initially paralyzed on the entire left side of his body, has regained his motor skills and is still taking part in physical therapy four times a week to better strengthen his left hand. He also attends classes three times a week with hopes of returning to school full-time in the fall. According to those who know him best, with each passing day Crawford is becoming more and more like his old self.

"His personality is starting to come back," Jesse, Dillon's older brother, said. "Nobody comes over without leaving in a good mood. He's always putting people in a good mood."