‘Miracle after miracle’: Father shares progress of son initially pronounced brain dead after crash

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A young man is defying the odds after his family said he had a potentially life-saving brain operation at Grady Hospital in Atlanta.

After a horrific car crash, Chase White’s parents were told by a different hospital their 22-year-old son was brain dead, and there were no options.

Thankfully, the story did not end there.

“It’s just been miracle after miracle,” said Jason White, Chase’s father, who spoke exclusively to Atlanta News First.

It was almost three weeks ago, Jason received the call that Chase was in an accident in Hilton Head.

He had collided with a crane truck while on his way to work at a local restaurant and was rushed to a hospital in Savannah.

“I don’t know how to describe it,” Jason said. “It’s just numbing.”

Chase suffered a traumatic brain injury, collapsed lung, a broken jaw, and a broken arm.

“He sustained a major trauma, and he probably-- that he wasn’t going to make it. They didn’t say probably. They said he was not going to make it,” Jason said doctors told them. “We were told that we needed to make a big decision,” he continued. “Basically, pull the plug on him and let him go. His mom and I just weren’t ready to do that.” Faced with a heartbreaking choice, one doctor tried a surprising final test.

“He said put up two fingers, and sure as not. He put up two fingers, Chase did,” Jason said. “His Mom and I were sold that he wasn’t totally brain-dead. That he was still there.”

Atlanta-area philanthropist Stephanie Blank, board chair for the Georgia Early Education Alliance, is a family friend and stepped in to help.

“She jumped up and put him on a plane and flew him to Grady Hospital at, like, 3:00 in the morning,” Jason said. “And then had one of the top surgeons do surgery on him at, like, 3:30, as soon as he got there.”

They say the care Chase has since received has made all the difference.

“It’s only been about 2.5 weeks, and he’s moving,” explained Jason. “He’s moving his legs and squeezing my hand on command. He tries to open his eyes.”

They say Chase loves his family, is kind to everyone, and has a baby due in September. His family is taking it one day at a time.

“I think we’re all confident that it’s going to happen, and he’s going to come out of it. It’s just when at this point,” Jason said.

While they know the road is long, they now have something they were initially told was not possible: hope.

“He’s definitely in there, and he’s definitely alive, and he’s fighting very hard.”

Chase will need to have extensive rehabilitation. The family has started a GoFundMe to help with those expenses. If you would like to donate, click here.

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