Man reunites with Austin medical team one year after they saved his life

AUSTIN, Texas - A special reunion took place outside St. David’s South Austin Medical Center between Kelly Howard and a team of trauma doctors one year after they saved his life.

"I'm very thankful for what they've done," said Kelly Howard.

One year ago, Howard almost lost his life, and he has absolutely no recollection of it.

"To stand here today and see what a year holds when We didn't have any hope last year at this time," Debbie Howard, Kelly Howard's wife.

Last Memorial Day weekend, 62-year-old Howard was about to take his new motorcycle on its first ever joyride when he noticed it needed gas. He says he walked up the street to get some, and on his way back an oncoming car crashed into him, throwing him to the side of the road.

"The recollection I have is the moment that I was laying on the ground and I looked past my feet, and I knew it was very serious at that moment," said Howard.

Howard suffered such traumatic injuries that responding EMS personnel thought he was dead when they first arrived at the scene.

"I said a prayer at that time. I said, ‘God, this doesn't look good. I don't think I'm going to make it,’" said Howard. 

He was transported to St. David's Trauma Center where a team of doctors revived him and saved his life.

"St. David’s was above and beyond amazing care. They invested in his life, and I'm so thankful for that," said Debbie.

Howard does not remember the entire experience, including the team of trauma doctors who saved his life.

Now a year later and now fully recovered, he was able to say thank you for the very first time.

"Thank you so much! I want to celebrate with you and have you at my house for Christmas," said Howard.

The doctors were just as excited to see Howard.

"We don't always get to see this end result, so, when we do, it's really uplifting and it reminds us of why we do what we do," said Aileen Ebadat, St. David’s Trauma Medical Director.