Community in Chester, Pennsylvania, welcomes home 8-year-old hit-and-run survivor with hero's celebration
An 8-year-old boy who survived a devastating hit-and-run crash received a hero's welcome home Monday morning in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Ny'Leek Ellison, who was left paralyzed from the neck down and now breathes with the help of a ventilator, returned home after spending five months in the hospital. Dozens of community members — family, friends, first responders and complete strangers lined the streets with balloons, posters and cheers to celebrate his remarkable strength.
"I don't have words to say — it's spectacular," his father, Micah Ellison, said. "We've been waiting for this day."
The hit-and-run happened on Feb. 4 at the intersection of 9th and Tilghman streets, as Ny'Leek was getting off a SEPTA bus. He was critically injured, and the driver was arrested weeks later. The case is still awaiting trial.
Despite the trauma, Ny'Leek's journey has captured the hearts of people far beyond Chester.
"When this tragedy struck, it shook our city," Ashley Dorsey, a mother from Newport, Delaware, who is originally from Chester, said. "I grew up in this community and I knew that this family needed the community."
The moment Ny'Leek came home was filled with joy and emotion.
"I was waiting," Ny'Leek told CBS News Philadelphia. When asked about the best part of being home, he smiled and said: "Seeing my dog."
City officials also joined the celebration.
"He's a strong kid," Chester Councilman Fred Green said. "I look forward to great things from him. I'm praying for him. People not only in Chester, but across the world, is praying for Ny'Leek."
Adding to the celebration, Ny'Leek shared a song he wrote, his own superhero anthem inspired by his favorite character, Spiderman.
"The stage that Ny'Leek Ellison is in right now, that's not for the rest of his life," his mother, Anita Carrington, said. "That's what God told me."
As Ny'Leek continues his long journey of healing, his community is making one thing clear: He won't be doing it alone.