A 13-year-old boy has fought to survive after being hit by a car earlier this year and the community is coming together to help.
It was a a busy morning March 9 -- kids rushing to get to Faiss Middle school in southwest Las Vegas when a car hit Christopher Shannon on his bike.
Christopher died once in the helicopter on the way to University Medical Center. He died a second time at the hospital. But Christopher is alive today -- and that's just the beginning.
"His nurse fought all night, giving him," said mom Alicia Shannon. "When one of the kids has a hard time, these nurses fight to give that child every chance and every opportunity to get better."
Christopher lays in a hospital bed at University Medical Center. He's opening his eyes now and breathing on his own. And though it is still too soon to know how much his brain is damaged, his parents know he's in there.
"He's my son. I know him," said dad Greg Shannon. "I can see in his face he's upset. I can see tears. I can see frustration."
Christopher loves the outdoors, loves robotics and competes on a swim team.
He had been a typical 13-year-old until March 9. Christopher's sister was the first to find out he'd been hit because she happened to be a substitute teacher at his school that day.
"It didn't seem real," Michelle Bosinger-Shannon said. "That doesn't just happen."
But the crash didn't just affect the Shannon family. The woman who hit Christopher was devastated. It turns out, she is a mother and investigators say her son was once hit by a car too.
"I can't imagine what it felt like to collide with my son that day," Alicia said.
"She was there," Greg said. "She saw the worst of this. I feel horrible for her."
The family says they've been praying for the driver and plan to reach out to her. In the meantime, they are focused Christopher's future.
"We have seasons passes I still haven't done anything with for Wet 'n' Wild," his mother said. "And I accepted a spot at a magnet school for him."
Christopher is headed to a long-term rehab facility where his family will help him fight. But they're doing it with the help of thousands of Las Vegans. Chris' school and church and even complete strangers who are now following his story on social media.
"I always feel like, you know if I fall back, somebody will probably catch me," his father said. "I don't feel like I'm alone."
Along those lines, several churches worked together to put on a 4K for Chris at Faiss Middle School Saturday, May 21. Money will help cover mounting medical bills. For more information, click here.
