Idaho 7-year-old recovering from brain injury after being hit by a truck on his dirt bike

BURLEY, Idaho – A 7-year-old boy is recovering from multiple serious injuries after he was hit by a truck while riding his dirt bike.

Blaze Scott from Burley was riding his dirt bike at a relative's house in Paul, Idaho, on Saturday evening, a route he'd taken many times before.

"There's a little spot of road that connects the two driveways that they make a loop on, so he has done it quite a few times," says Blaze's mother, Dalene Studyvin.

Studyvin says she has since learned that Blaze looked both ways before continuing on his ride, so he pulled out to go around the loop – but was then hit by a truck.

"He tried to turn his wheel to avoid it, but he was on a dirt bike, and the truck hit him," says Studyvin. "I wasn't over there, I was at my house over in Burley when I got the phone call. By the time I got to the scene, they already had him in the ambulance."

Doctors say Blaze suffered a fractured skull and a severe concussion from the crash, despite the fact that he was wearing a helmet.

"It was terrifying," says Studyvin. "He had a small bleed to his brain, a severe concussion and a skull fracture. The bleed quit and wasn't continuing to bleed, so that's a good thing. He did have some pretty severe nausea due to the severity of the concussion."

Blaze was taken to a hospital in Rupert and transferred to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for specialized treatment.

"We've had a pretty wild ride, but luckily not nearly as bad as it could've been," says Studyvin.

Blaze's mom says he is a "super fun" kid who loves Legos and trucks, and can't wait to get home to see his best friend, his dog Rip.

"He has a big old dog at his aunt's named Rip. It's his best friend. We had the dog when he was little, and then he went over to his aunt's house," says Studyvin. "The dog's been there for Blaze his whole life; I'm pretty sure that's his best friend."

Studyvin says Blaze was expected to be discharged from the hospital on Tuesday, but that his recovery still has a long way to go, especially since his injury is considered a traumatic brain injury.

"Maybe (he will need) an IEP (individualized education program) or something when he starts school, because of the traumatic brain injury," says Studyvin.

A friend of the family started a GoFundMe* to help cover medical bills and expenses during his recovery.

"His mom will need to take time off from work to care for him, and we are asking for the support of the Magic Valley community to help make this possible," according to the GoFundMe.

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited into the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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