I want to share a story with you. One that may save your child’s life or the life of a child you know. This story is real. It happened to a normal family just like yours or mine. I know of it because this woman is in a Facebook chat group I’m in. I would see her chatting about cloth diapers, kids, life…normal stuff. Then one day something terrible happened to her little girl. Something that changed the whole family’s lives forever. This mom and her daughter are truly the strongest, most courageous people I have ever encountered.
I asked her if it would be alright to share her daughter’s, Ella Rose’s, story. She said yes because she wants to use their experience to help stop it from ever happening again.
Here is Ella Rose’s story:
On June 6th, I was backed over by a ride on lawn mower, I nearly lost my life that day, but God was watching over me. I was Life Flighted to Children’s Hospital in Nashville, TN and spent three weeks undergoing ten surgeries to repair the damage, rebuild my leg and make a new knee to replace the one that was taken in the accident. I also lost my big toe but I can still walk without him.
I struggle every day with not being able to do what I used to before the accident. I now wear a brace that helps my leg stay straight and helps me walk. I’ve defied all odds and learned to walk really well again. I’ve faced challenges but I’m also really happy that I still have my family. It makes me sad though, that kids are hurt all the time by lawn mowers. I want this to stop. I wish this never happened to me. I want things to go back to normal. I want kids not to get hurt and not have to go through what I did.
Lawn mowers are dangerous and scary. They hurt kids. Kids don’t belong outside when lawn mowers are running. If I was inside, I would be like I used to, but now everyone asks why I walk funny. I want all kids to be safe.
Please keep your kids inside while mowing…Please keep your kids safe.
Here are a few lawn mower statistics:
- The average person mows their lawn up to 30 times a year.
- Up to 16,000 children are injured each year in accidents involving ride on lawn mowers.
- More than 600 children undergo mower related amputation each year.
- Children between the ages of 5 and 10 have the highest rate of lawn mower related injuries.
- The majority of serious and sometimes fatal injuries are a result of back over accidents where the child was not seen.
Please keep your children inside when mowing.
This family asks that you share this story with as many people as possible to help stop this from ever happening again.
For more of Ella Rose’s story and updates, please visit https://www.facebook.com/PrayersForPrincessElla
Feel free to leave a comment here and on her Facebook page in love and support of a very courageous little girl!
Jenn is a long-time cloth diaper educator and a passionate small business advocate. She has worked in the reusable diaper industry for over a decade, helping millions of families via her websites All About Cloth Diapers, Thinking About Cloth Diapers and Cloth Diaper Geek as well as hundreds of small businesses during that time. Her goal always to provide simple, reliable information.
Sherry Fram says
Parents worse nightmare!! My daughter always makes sure the kids are in before she or her husband ever start the mower or weed eater. Usually they mow during nap time.
Melanie S says
My cousin is legally blind in one eye and had a fractured skull from a rock that shot through a lawn mower. I am so cautious about any type of ride on equipment. I am so glad to hear that this story has such a happy ending. Thank you for sharing.
Jennifer Reinhardt says
I’m sorry to hear about your cousin. But hopefully we can all head warnings from stories like that Melanie.
jessica says
I have a close friend whose godson was riding in his grandpa’s lap while he was driving a tractor (farm size but with no tools attached) and he slid off of his grandfather’s lap and under the large back tire, it ended up fatal and the grandfather blames himself every day. I used to ride in my papa’s lap and all the young kids would too, part of me hates that my kids will miss that experience but I will never let them ride on the tractor with their grandpa after that accident.
Randi says
My husband makes orthotics and prosthetics for a living and will tell you it is the worst idea to give your child a ride on your lap on a riding lawn mower. He has seen so many children who have lost limbs riding on the lap of a parent because they fell off their lap. I agree, children should be indoors when the mower is going.
Kristina says
We don’t have a yard big enough to require a ride on lawn mower, but even a basic push mower can shoot small rocks at dangerous speed at kids. We have a rule that all kids have to be indoors while any lawnmowers or weed whackers are being used in the yard. This is so sad… :(
Heather Johnson says
As a kid, I was not allowed outside while my dad was mowing. The same rule now applies to my daughter.
Jennifer Reinhardt says
My mom almost lost her eye when I was younger due to not wearing goggles while weed wacking. Ever since then, I have been acutely aware of being safe while using things like that and lawn mowing. I remember riding around on my Dad’s or grandma’s lap while they mowed the lawn when I was little. Now I know that so many kids have been hurt while doing things just like that. It is a tragedy that we can help prevent. Protect your children and spread the word to protect others!
Rhonda says
The grandchild of a couple my mom goes to church with tragically lost his life not too long ago to this. It is so sad to think that such a simple chore could result in the loss of a child. :(
Autumn Beck says
My perspective on lawn mowers was completely changed by Ella Rose’s tragedy. It is so easy for us to get comfortable with any task but when we are talking about a beast of a machine you can’t let your guard down!