MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - He was mowed down by drag racers. Now he's on his feet again, but his fight is far from over. Darreontae Martin spent weeks recovering from severe injuries with the help of therapy dogs.
"It's our honor to provide you with this check for the cost of your medical bills, for $3,900."
Surrounded by the therapists who helped him get back on his feet, Darreontae Martin is grateful for the help that continues even now.
"My road to recovery was kind of tough. I had to walk around, I had a lot of people push me on and on," he said.
Some of that push came with the help of therapy dogs with Mid-South Therapy Dogs and Friends. They helped Martin recover at the Baptist Rehab Center in Germantown.
"The dogs helped me get through this because when you're in there the whole time you just think about, 'How am I going to get out of this and get better?'"
The volunteers who organize Mid-South Therapy Dogs knew he had other questions, like how the family would pay for the medical bills that have piled up since last May. That's when Martin was hit by drag racers on Knight Road. He suffered broken legs and multiple injuries, followed by multiple surgeries.
"We had some money come in and we felt that this would be a good way to put it to use and be able to help him clear all of his medical bills," said Mary Ehrhart with Mid-South Therapy Dogs and Friends.
The road from hospital bed to home topped $200,000. Martin's mother, Wrechal Currie, says anything helps.
"This is amazing, unexpected, but very well appreciated."
And it's another step forward for Darreontae Martin.
