15-year-old who survived car crash because of seat belt has ‘long road to recovery’

BEAVERTON Ore. (KPTV/Gray News) - A 15-year-old boy who survived a car crash that killed two high school students in Oregon has “a long road to recovery,” authorities say.

Two other Southridge High School students and a Washington County deputy are also making a recovery after the crash in Beaverton, according to KPTV.

Alecia Delarosa is the mother of Sky Korbut. She says she hugged him goodbye before heading to work the night shift. She got the call that he had been in an accident a few hours later.

“I always like to tell my kids that I love them, and I’ll see them later as I’m going to work and to have a good night,” she said. “It’s just unreal. One minute your kid’s giving you a hug goodbye when you’re heading out to work, and the next minute you have to come to the hospital, a parent’s worst nightmare to get that call.”

She was told her son had been severely injured but was alive because he was wearing his seat belt.

“The impact was so hard that it actually punctured his intestines,” Delarosa said. “There was bleeding that had to be stopped and then once that was stopped, they had to reattach the intestines. That was the first surgery. Second surgery, he broke his back, lower back, had a fracture so now he has two plates in his spine.”

Delarosa said her son also fractured a femur and has several broken ribs but is awake.

“He hears us. He can shake his head,” Delarosa said. “Right now, he has a tube down his throat so he can’t use his words. He’s under a lot of medication and a lot of pain going on, but he is able to communicate with us for a little bit. He blinks his eyes to let us know he loves us. He’s a tough kid. I know he’ll pull through, but I know it’s going to be a long road to recovery.”

Sky Korbut’s family said he is outgoing, loves to be outdoors and loves to hang out with his friends.

“Sky is really fun, caring, and is such a sweetheart,” Kristin Schwing, Sky Korbut’s sister-in-law, said. “Somebody who would every time he sees you would give you a hug.”

The family is thanking the community for the outpouring of support they have received. A GoFundMe has also been set up to help pay for medical expenses.