9-year-old Recovers From Skull Being Separated From Neck

Three months after having his skull accidentally separated from his neck, a 9-year-old boy from Texas is beating incredible odds and on the road to recovery.

Jordan Taylor, a 9-year-old boy from Hillsboro, Texas, was in the back seat of his mom's car. They were waiting at an intersection. Suddenly, a dump truck ran the stop sign and collided with them causing Jordan's "head to lift up off his neck and then move forward." This is what is known as "orthopedic decapitation", where the skull is removed from the neck, but the spine is intact. Stacey Perez, Jordan's mom, said, "I do remember seeing him in the car and his head was just kinda just hanging down." Dr. Richard Roberts of Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth was the pediatric neurosurgeon that saved Jordan's life. Roberts told Fox News, "All of the connective tissue that essentially keeps your head connected to your neck was destroyed." By using a metal plate and titanium rods, doctors were able to reattach Jordan's skull to his neck. To ensure proper healing, the top portion of a carbon fiber ring known as a "halo" was screwed into the skull while the base of the equipment was attached to a vest. Perez said that he has made an incredible recovery so far. His speech is intact, and he's walking without the assistance of a walker. Jordan plans on returning to school in early January and is very excited about it. Doctors have noted that his young age actually played a major role in his recovery. If he were in his sixties or seventies, he probably would not have fared so well.