IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – A crash involving a car and a semi-truck injured a teenager so severely, doctors initially were unsure if he’d survive. But that’s exactly what happened to one Fairfield family last year.

”I felt like a ghost that day,” said Molly Kopp, Keagen’s mom.

In December of 2022, 17-year-old Keagen Kopp was a passenger in his friend’s car when they were in a crash with a semi-truck.

”Got to the scene and saw the car just looking like a smashed-up tin can,” said Molly.

After using the jaws of life to get him out of the car, Keagen’s mom Molly rode in the ambulance to the Fairfield Hospital.

”Finally found a room to myself and fell to my knees and just let it all out and. Like I can’t do this like I can’t believe, I’m not losing my son,” said Molly.

Keagan went by helicopter ambulance to Iowa City where they learned the full extent of his injuries.

”His lungs were collapsed, that he had spinal injuries, neck injuries, possible brain trauma, pseudo aneurysm by his heart,” said Molly.

”He developed a condition, an inflammatory condition, that we call ARDS or acute respiratory distress syndrome, to the point where his lungs were unable to do the things that they’re supposed to do, which is getting oxygen into the body and carbon dioxide out of the body,” said Cody Tigges, UIHC Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics-Critical Care.

His injuries were so severe that a machine called “ECMO” had to bring oxygen to his body.

He was on the ECMO for 68 days.

”It was just kind of a nightmare and it to me. It was just kind of like this night that never ended. I felt like December 30th happened and it lasted for four months,” said Molly.

Slowly, Keagan started to improve.

Then, for the first time since the crash, he woke up.

”I said I love you. And he said, I love you. And that was the first time, you know, for that long and not knowing if I was going to hear his voice again. And then we talked all day. And when I say talk, he couldn’t really talk because he was trached. So I had to read his lips,” said Molly.

While Keagan was awake, his lungs were still a concern.

A lung transplant was considered, but he wasn’t a good candidate.

Then new scans showed Keagen’s lungs started to improve and fill with air by themselves.

”I don’t think he’s going to need a lung transplant. He’s like, we don’t see this. He’s like, we don’t see this happen and I’m just. I’m really getting this miracle. I get to keep my son,” said Molly.

”I was scared,” said Keagen.

Keagan was released to an inpatient therapy center after spending 101 days in the hospital.

After intense therapy, Keagan, now 18 years old, is getting back to normal life. Even walking across the stage for graduation.

Now he says he’s focused on finding a part-time job.

And his mom Molly says she’s grateful to have her son back.

”I hope that people believe that magic and miracles are real and that anything is possible because I watched it happen,” said Molly.

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