The mother of a 12-year-old cyclist who was close to death after being hit by a pickup truck two weeks ago in Blainville is urging the City to review the layout of the bike path in order to avoid this “nightmare” in other relatives.
“Being in the hospital and waiting to find out if my son will survive, if I will ever see his beautiful eyes again, his smile, it’s unbearable”, breathes Nawal Benrouayene with emotion.
Two days after celebrating his 12th birthday, William Brodeur was caught on May 16 at the end of the afternoon on the boulevard de Fontainebleau, 500 meters from his primary school.
After school, the boy went to the convenience store to buy candy, then took the bike path to visit one of his friends.
Photo courtesy, Nawal Benrouayene
In a context which will have to be clarified by the police investigation, the child was caught right on the cycle path by a van which was pulling a small trailer. Despite repeated warnings from his mother, William was not wearing his helmet at the time of impact.
He was taken to hospital in critical condition.
The boy suffered severe head trauma, along with three broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a punctured lung, and spleen and liver damage.
Longue convalescence
William finally left the intensive care unit on Tuesday to be transferred to the rehabilitation department, where the road ahead promises to be long.
In particular, he will have to relearn how to walk, read, write, eat and drink.
“Doctors call him the little miracle,” says his mother. They are amazed to see the state it is in today compared to how it originally arrived. »
Nawal Benrouayene is furious to see that a simple white line separated the road from the cycle lane at the time of the accident.
The City installed flexible bollards and speed bumps on the ground in the last few days, as it does every year. For the moment, no other action is planned.
“But why weren’t they installed yet?” asks Ms. Benrouayene. And even then, it might not have changed anything, it’s a joke, these bollards, it bends to nothing. »
Solutions permanentes
William’s mother and other citizens are concerned about the urban development of this very family-friendly area and are calling for permanent solutions.
“Between each bollard, there are at least 20 feet,” denounces committed citizen Guylaine Beaudoin, who has been campaigning to secure the sector for a long time. A truck with a trailer can easily enter between two. There’s no point in putting that on. William’s accident is one accident too many. »
A reduction in the speed limit, which is set at 40 km/h, but which is said to be poorly respected, is also proposed by a group of citizens.
– With Nora T. Lamontagne