Danny Peterson, 6, was hit by a truck on state Route 506 between Ryderwood and Vader on March 18 and was airlifted to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma.
According to his family, he sustained surface lacerations, broken bones, a fractured clavicle and skull, and a concussion.
On Saturday, less than a month later, he was walking around the Winlock fire station, arm in a sling, holding toy fire trucks gifted to him. Amy Farden, the Winlock medic who responded to the scene, gave Danny puzzles, toys and a Winlock fire hat and shirt.
“It was an ideal situation,” said Winlock Fire Chief Richard Underdahl, later adding, “It definitely could have been a lot worse.”
The people who were in the truck that struck the boy were also present for the recovery celebration. Underdahl said it was “really good to have them” and added, “They’re called accidents for a reason.”
Danny’s family brought pizzas and soda to the fire station to celebrate with the responders who saved him. His grandfather, Gregg Peterson, is the president of the Lewis County Fire Chiefs Association and battalion chief of the Boistfort fire district.
Underdahl said the celebration was both a “thank you” from the family to responders and from the responders to the family, considering Peterson’s history of dedicated community service.
“I spent my whole career doing this,” said Peterson, who was a career firefighter in Auburn. “But, it’s a whole different thing when it's you(r family).”
He said he’s been to hundreds of calls similar to the one for Danny, but Peterson and other firefighters rarely get the closure they’ve had from this situation. Underdahl said in Winlock, the department always follows up and debriefs after a response, but after doctors take over, they won’t always hear back from patients they helped.
Danny’s grandmother, Ruth Peterson added, “We will be grateful for the rest of our lives.”
Danny’s parents are David and Kersten Peterson. His maternal grandparents are Steve and Laura Stanton.
