Benefit set for boy injured by lawnmower

By Steve Sharp of the Daily Times staff
Friday, December 5, 2008 10:47 PM CST

SULLIVAN - A 3-year-old Sullivan-area boy, recently adopted from Ethiopia, is recuperating at a Milwaukee hospital after he was severely injured in a lawn tractor accident at his home and a benefit breakfast has been scheduled before Christmas in his honor.

Samuel Phillipson was air lifted following his Oct. 4 accident to Children's Hospital in Milwaukee and he has been there ever since.

Samuel's father, Martin Phillipson, was cutting the lawn on a John Deere law tractor with a 62-inch mowing deck when the incident occurred.

According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, which handled the incident, Martin Phillipson, saw his children near their residence, a great distance from where he was cutting tall prairie grass, but the accident occurred a short time later when Samuel wandered down and was struck.

At least one of Samuel's parents is at his bedside at all times as he continues to heal. They are also busy raising their other three children, Mary, Paul and Julia.

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Due to the injuries Samuel received in the accident, he has little to no function in his left arm and both his right and left legs were amputated below the knees. He also is receiving skin grafts to his back and legs. According to his mother, Carole Phillipson, Samuel has had many surgeries and more are needed along with rehabilitation.

To aid in his recuperation and to make his transition to life after his hospital stay more pleasant and efficient, Sullivan EMS and Sullivan Parents and Teachers Helping Students, along with members of the community, are hosting a pancake breakfast benefit, silent auction, and raffle Dec. 14 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sullivan Elementary School. All proceeds from this event will be donated to the Phillipson family.

Carole Phillipson told the Daily Times this week the future is looking remarkably good for Samuel and she is thankful for the benefit that is being planned.

“It sounds almost callous, because things are so promising,” she said. “Sam is considered a triple amputee, in that he does not have function of his left arm, he has an ostomy which should be temporary, and currently gets over half his feeding from a tube. But he is still very much the same feisty, loving, fighter of a child.”

She added the boy's mind is as sharp as ever.

“We have no reason to believe that Sam will not find a way to accomplish whatever he sets his mind to. We were so very close to losing him that we can't help but stop and simply celebrate the fact that he's still here and so ... normal,” she said. She noted people who visit Samuel meet him and soon forget he's even injured.

As of Friday, Samuel was exactly two months post-accident. He has had hip pins and external hardware, as well as vacuum dressings with pumps, removed Wednesday.

“Today we are flying around the hallways in a wheelchair,” Carole Phillipson said.

Carole Phillipson said money that is raised at Samuel's benefit will be put to very good use.

“We have been so fortunate to have people reaching out with meals, toys, clothes, gas cards and such for the whole family,” she said. “Sam will be utilizing a motorized wheelchair, so our most immediate need to assist with his independence is a full-size, extended van that we can modify with a wheelchair lift.”

She said it is difficult to find what the family needs used because they have four children in car seats/boosters, including Sam and his wheelchair, which will take up what would have been one row of their vehicle, so a minivan is not an option.

“We also cannot modify something over 3 years old, so we have to buy a fairly new, large van and then have it outfitted with the modifications necessary to accommodate his wheelchair, as well as power lift,” she said.

These modifications will cost approximately $7,000 if the family does not lower the floor and alter the gas tank, because Sam is so small they may not need to incur this added expense.

“We will be selling a vehicle and possibly motorcycle to assist with the purchase of the van, as well,” she said.

New family friend Leah Thorp is helping organize the benefit for the Phillipsons. Her children attend school in Sullivan with the Phillipson children.

“This has touched the whole community,” Thorp said Thursday. “Carole is an amazing person and her strength is unbelievable.”

Thorp said the benefit is an important event, because the family will be needing so many things to help them modify their vehicles and home to accommodate Samuel's compromised movement.

“They are unsure how much insurance coverage they have. He will need prosthetics - there are so many variables and unknowns,” Thorp said.

Thorp thinks the benefit will be a success, but noted it is difficult at this point to say just how well it will go.

“I ran a big fund-raiser at Sullivan Elementary School the past three years and those have been better than expected,” she said. “And we have a lot of donations and raffle items already. We have a grill, some four-packs of Milwaukee Bucks tickets and a lot of people have reached out to take care of stuff. Even those who can't make the event are trying to find ways to participate.”

Ticket prices for the benefit breakfast are $6 in advance for adults and $7 at the door; $4 for children ages 5 to 12, and children 4 and under eat free. Advance tickets for the breakfast are available at American National Bank, Gaugert Automotive, Meyer's Market, Premier Banks, Rue's Premiere Lanes and Sullivan Elementary School.