Teen Badly Burned in Calif. Crash Returns Home
Derek Thomas’ chances of survival were estimated at less than 1 percent. He went through more than 70 medical procedures during his time in hospital.
SAN DIEGO --
Hundreds of former classmates welcomed home a local teenager critically injured in a fiery crash in Bishop last summer.
Derek Thomas, 19, has spent the last 11 months at the Grossman Burn Center in West Hills. The Cathedral Catholic High School graduate was released at 10 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Thomas arrived at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas a few hours later, and his welcome home included cheerleaders and former classmates from Cathedral Catholic High School and the parents of his late girlfriend, Amanda Post, an Olivenhein resident who was killed in the crash.
Thomas smiled broadly and waved a fist at the gathering as he got out of an ambulance. He previously said he was looking forward to returning home and enjoying Mexican food.
Thomas suffered burns over 85 percent of his body in the August 9, 2010, crash on Highway 395 just south of Mammoth Lakes in central California. He was one of five people in an SUV that went out of control, crossed the center line and collided with a van carrying student athletes from California Baptist University.
The SUV burst into flames, and Wendy Rice, the cheerleading coach who was driving the van, was killed.
Post and 17-year-old Natalie Nield died in the crash, and Encinitas resident Drew Delis suffered severe burns. Nathan Adams, 39, also died in the crash.
Thomas, Delis, Nield and Post were all graduates of Cathedral Catholic High School in Carmel Valley. They were headed back to San Diego from Mammoth where they took part in high-altitude fitness training.
Derek’s chances of survival were estimated at less than 1 percent. He went through more than 70 medical procedures during his time in the hospital.
The only parts of his body that did not suffer third-degree burns were the top of his thighs, the soles of his feet and a part of his scalp. He was kept in a medically induced coma for four months, and doctors said he still has years of treatments ahead of him. Thomas said he does not remember details of the crash.
Dr. Peter Grossman, who helped with Thomas' recovery, said, "Most people with this type of injury do not survive … What he went through took the most amazing amount of courage."
Before leaving the burn center Tuesday, he thanked the doctors and nurses who treated him.
"During times I've been down, the staff has really picked me up," Thomas said. "I just want to thank each of the staff here, they all touched my life ... they're very skilled at what they do."
Thomas recently said he had hoped to be home for his 20th birthday on July 30.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. Their final report is expected soon.
