Teen who survived dirt bike crash underscores need for pediatric care close to home

LEHI — When it comes to lifesaving pediatric care, having quick access can make all the difference.

Primary Children's Hospital's Miller Family Campus in Lehi just marked its second anniversary and is already helping meet the needs of patients and families in Utah and beyond.

Hospital officials said having two children's hospitals in the state allows them to reach more families — especially in emergencies, when every minute matters.

For one Utah family, those minutes made the difference between life and death.

A fun day racing in central Utah ended with devastating news.

"I get a phone call, and it's like, 'Max is not good, he wrecked,'" Ashley Braithwaite said. "We didn't know if he was going to make it or not."

Sixteen-year-old Maxwell Braithwaite had been in a serious motocross accident in Delta.

"I don't remember much of it," Maxwell said. "I fell down, and people were jumping up and landing on me."

He was rushed to a local hospital and then airlifted toward Salt Lake City.

"Not only did he break his femur, but he had several broken ribs, he had a broken scapula, and he also punctured a lung, and so he was bleeding internally," Ashley Braithwaite said.

But while in the air, they realized he was running out of time.

"He was not going to make it another 10 minutes in that helicopter to Salt Lake," she said.

The flight team rerouted to Primary Children's Hospital in Lehi, saving critical minutes that may have saved his life.

"Knowing that we had a place to land between Delta and Salt Lake made all the difference," Ashley Braithwaite said.

That moment highlights the growing need for pediatric care closer to home.

In just two years, the Lehi campus has treated thousands of patients. Last year alone, the hospital handled more than 500 trauma cases.

"We knew we were going to be busy, but we didn't know how busy we were going to be," said Lisa Paletta, president of Primary Children's Hospital – Lehi. "Anytime we can shave off time for families and give that care closer to home, that's exactly what we're trying to do."

The hospital recently added eight new medical-surgical beds and is expanding further, with additional newborn intensive care unit rooms expected to increase capacity by about 20%.

Since opening, the campus has also added specialty services, including a Pectus Center of Excellence and a growing sports medicine program.

For the Braithwaite family, who live in Saratoga Springs, having that hospital nearby has made all the difference.

Since the crash, Maxwell has continued to receive follow-up care in Lehi.

"Just trying to get back on the dirt bike, (and) trying to get still get healthier," he said.

And for his mom, the outcome is everything.

"It just means the world to me knowing that he's here and they were here to help us," Ashley Braithwaite said.

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