Tuesday, September 16, 2025. After picking up my son Axel from the YMCA after-school watch, we planned the rest of the day with a bike ride to the park in Ottawa, IL. We arrived at our friend's house and put Axel and his friend on their bikes with helmets to enjoy the 3-block travel to the park. About 4 minutes later, Axel's friend returned home in a panic and said Axel was hit by a car. I immediately reacted and arrived at the scene at the corner of Nebraska and Guion St. in Ottawa, IL, an open-view 4-way stop intersection. Two bystanders were holding my son at the crosswalk with no road paint; the opposite side of the road does not have a sidewalk. The bike he was on was about 50 more feet in front, and the truck was about another 50 feet in front of the bike. I arrived just as the first police officer arrived, then came the ambulance. I confirmed treatment, stated to the police that I wanted an investigation, then rushed to the hospital. Axel arrived at the hospital with a collapsed lung that needed a chest tube, 6 fractured right ribs, and a fractured right scapula. He was life-flighted to Peoria Children's Hospital for care. He spent 7 days in ICU, 4 of them on a ventilator breathing system, and 6 of them with the chest tube. We have now returned home for healing. I've been in contact with an attorney, and they only deal with insurance. Come to find out, the driver doesn't have insurance, and somehow I have been told by the attorney that we have to find our own funds to pay the $217,000 bill. My full coverage insurance covers $50,000. Now, with my son on bed rest, I have not been able to return to work since I am a single father. I've never had to ask for money. I served in the Marine Corps from '09 to '13, graduated from automotive trade school at WyoTech, and I've held consistent jobs to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. We are part of a small growing church called Ax Church. Every day has been great until this very traumatic experience, and I pray to return to the world as a better family, with forgiveness and mercy to those in need. Thank you for your support.