'That Was Not a Dog You Hit': North Carolina Boy, 12, between Life and Death after Hit-And-Run

When a 12-year-old boy left his house to visit a neighbor, his family had no idea their lives would soon turn upside down. While walking home, a car hit him, and he fell into a ditch. The paramedics rescued him, but the incident left him struggling for life.

Numerous car accidents happen daily, but not every driver runs away. Some honest people stay back and help the injured, knowing the police would fine them for crashing their car into another vehicle. They are ready to face the consequences of their mistake.

Meanwhile, others, like the person in today's story, speed off after seeing they have injured someone or, in some cases, killed them. First responders found the injured boy in a ditch with multiple broken bones. They weren't sure if the boy would survive the severe injuries.

A Regular Day

It was a regular day for 12-year-old Tyler Mabe when he stepped out of his North Carolina house to meet his neighbor. He had planned to play football with his friends but didn't know how his life would change forever in a couple of hours.

After his football practice, Mabe was walking home with his friend at around 10 p.m. on August 30, 2022, when someone hit him with their car. Instead of helping Mabe, the driver sped off, leaving him to die.

Soon, first responders arrived at the accident site and pulled Mabe out from a nearby ditch. After seeing his broken bones, they immediately asked the authorities to airlift him to a nearby hospital. His family rushed to UNC Hospital upon discovering the saddening truth.

Not a Dog

When the doctors examined Mabe's body, they were shocked. The collision left him with severe injuries and multiple broken bones, while the person responsible for it fled the accident site. The police were investigating the case while Mabe was in a medically-induced coma.

Authorities said the driver could be in a silver Honda or Toyota and suspected someone was sitting in the passenger seat. They revealed that the car, with front right damage, went towards Montgomery County. Mabe's great aunt, Phyllis Dunn, said:

"I plea to whoever hit him to please turn yourself in because that was not a dog you hit. That was a human being that had a whole life ahead of him."

The Prayers

Two days after the devastating incident, family, friends, and community members gathered outside Guiding Light Baptist Church, located about a mile from the accident site. They prayed for Mabe's recovery and expressed their grief. Mark Medlin, the church pastor, said:

"He really is a good kid, and I hate this happened to him."

"Was it one of our seniors who didn't see him? Was it someone going too fast? We don't know." Medlin told CBS17. He revealed that the entire community gathered to pray for little Mabe, including some people he had never seen before.

He Needed Help

While the doctors told Mabe's mother that her son would need physical therapy and speech therapy to recover, a fundraiser was set up for him. The organizer requested people to donate as much as possible to cover his medical expenses.

"I just so wish to God there was something I could do for him to make him feel better," Dunn said. She felt devastated watching her nephew in such a critical condition and urged people to pray for him. She added:

"Tyler is a fine young man, and he’s going to come back to us. God’s going to bring him home."

The Unknown Driver

While people prayed for Mabe, his family revealed his condition had improved. His mother said she felt him squeeze her hand, and the family hoped Mabe would soon recover. However, they still didn't know who had mercilessly left Mabe to die that night.

Along with people who knew Mabe, strangers on the internet also prayed for his recovery. Here are some of the comments people left under WRAL TV's Facebook post about Mabe:

"This is a terrible shame. Don't worry. The driver will be caught and pay for what he has done to this child."

― (@Rosanna Burgess) September 1, 2022

"The person responsible needs to come forward. So sad."

― (@Vickie Jo) September 1, 2022

"Prayers for his recovery and strength for his family."

―(@Earthia Nixon) September 1, 2022

Our thoughts and prayers are with Mabe's family and friends, who look forward to his quick recovery. We also hope the authorities soon catch the driver involved in this tragic hit-and-run incident.

Click here to read another story about a 9-year-old boy who lost his life in a New York car crash. His devastated parents revealed his death would save the lives of other people.