Mum left ‘questioning herself as parent’ after son wakes up with 1 leg | World | News
Aga Narloch has spoken of regret over her son’s horror injury (Image: Shaun Narloch)
A mother who feared her son had died in a suspected hit-and-run incident says she remains on “high alert” – after the devastating crash cost him his leg. Aga Narloch has revealed that her son, Shaun Narloch, 18, has returned to the family home in Finglas, Dublin, after spending precisely 100 days in the care of medical staff at the Mater Hospital.
Shaun was riding his motorcycle when struck by an SUV on the evening of Easter Monday, April 10, with the driver of fleeing the scene in Ballymun, Ireland. Medics rushed Shaun to hospital where he was placed him in an induced coma for a fortnight. During that period, his left leg was amputated after the teenager suffered kidney failure, muscle damage and sepsis.
He also required surgery on his fractured right ankle, and while he pulled through the ordeal, his mother has spoken exclusively about the lasting impact of nearly losing her son, reports DublinLive.
Shaun was in an induced coma for a fortnight (Image: Shaun Narloch)
She said: “As life goes on, the relief that Shaun is back with us is extremely peaceful – but it is followed by anxiety.
“I remain on high alert, replaying the near-tragedy like a looping movie. An overwhelming desire to keep Shaun physically close, checking if he is ok day and night and struggling to let him out on his own.
“We always assume that the world is safe, but when something like this happens, it shatters everything. Even though Shaun avoided dying, from that moment we live with the knowledge of how fragile existence is.
“It has changed not only Shaun’s life but our whole family’s as well – and you question yourself as a parent. ‘Is there a way I could have prevented it? I should have known? I shouldn’t have let him go on the bike that day?'”.
“When you look at how many young people die these days in road accidents… I can’t even imagine the tragedy their families are going through.”
Shaun’s life wasn’t the only one to change (Image: Shaun Narloch)
On that fateful night, Aga was getting ready for bed, expecting her son home as his girlfriend was due to stay over.
At 9.45pm, Shaun had been in contact to confirm he would be back within minutes, but when an hour passed with no sign of him, Aga sent a message asking: “Shaun all good?”.
Shortly afterwards, her husband received a call from one of Shaun’s friends, telling them he had been involved in a “horrific” crash on Santry Avenue.
Aga rushed to the Mater Hospital where she “didn’t even know if Shaun was alive” before being approached by two garda officers.
Yet since waking from his coma, Shaun has left his loved ones astounded with his remarkably positive outlook on life.
Despite losing a leg, his overriding emotion is one of gratitude for having survived, and more than €34,000 (£29k) has been raised on GoFundMe to help him acquire a C-Leg 5 Microcessor that will allow him to walk again.
He currently relies on a temporary prosthetic and once he has adjusted, he will be able to consult a product specialist to determine the most appropriate option using the funds raised towards his recovery. Reflecting on her son’s return home, Aga shared: “Looking at him standing tall, smiling and believing that all will be fine just melts my heart.
“There are so many thoughts going through my head – from ecstatic happiness to extreme pride that my son has been through so much pain and yet he is happy to be alive.”
Yet Shaun considers himself one of the lucky ones, as recent days have seen further heartbreaking fatalities on Irish roads.
These tragedies now strike close to home for the Narloch family, prompting Aga to urge all drivers to take the utmost care behind the wheel.
Shaun awoke from his coma with remarkable positivity (Image: Shaun Narloch)
In an emotional plea to motorists everywhere, she said: “Think twice. Is a text, notification or a quick look at your phone worth somebody’s life?”.
“Remember, it only takes a few seconds to lose control over the car and crash into somebody. In every other car, or on the crossword, or on the bike, there is a real person.
“They have a name and a family waiting for them at their homes.”
Concerning the collision involving Shaun, a garda spokesperson confirmed they were ongoing in their investigation into the “serious hit and run collision” and that there were no further updates at this time.
