Boy turns tragedy into triumph two years after losing leg in lawn mowing accident

Two years ago a Wake County family experienced the unimaginable.

Wyatt Fleming was five-years-old when he got into a lawnmower accident at his home and lost his leg. The month of May marks this anniversary, but instead, his family is turning tragedy into triumph.

Now, 7 years old, Fleming is everything you’d expect a little boy to be: Happy. active, curious and full of energy.

When asked what he liked to do for fun, his response was like any other kid his age.

“I like to ride my bike,” he said.

Two years ago this month. it almost didn’t seem possible. Wyatt was playing in the yard and had a run-in with a lawnmower his grandmother was operating.

“She was cutting grass and for those big lawn mowers, when you get to the corner you hit a spot where you need to turn around, you sort of have to back them up a little bit to turn them around. And although my children know better, you know, telling them that you know you have to stay away from a lawnmower, especially when it's running. My son has ADHD and it was one of those moments where he was just, you know, 'I want to see grandma,'” said Megan Standish-Fleming, Wyatt's mother.

She said he ran out to go see his grandmother and ran up behind her at the exact moment as she was trying to turn the lawn mower around.

“It was one of those freak accidents,” she said.

When her husband called 911, the ambulance available for dispatch was coming from northern Wake County, taking about 20 minutes.

“Fairview Fire heard the call and said you know this, this does not sound good. I think we might need to roll out to that. And they showed up at our house within five minutes. Five minutes. If they had not shown up, Wyatt would have died,” Standish-Fleming said.

He had an immediate traumatic amputation of his left leg.

Standish-Fleming said firefighters with the Fairview Fire Department had the proper training to help get the blood under control.

“They got him under control and got some IVs going and everything. They saved my son's life. Incredible. Literally saved my son's life and they weren't even supposed to be there.” she explained.

Ever since that day, the family has wanted to find ways like this to thank those who have helped then and now.

“I'm just happy to get out here to see other people just like me,” Wyatt said at the North Carolina Adapted Sports' first Bike Rodeo, Helmet Safety Check, and Touch-A-Truck fundraiser.

NC Adapted Sports showed Wyatt what is possible for him. Over the past two years, they have helped him stay active and provided his parents with the right resources to navigate his new normal.

Dozens of people came out to the Middle Creek Community Center for the fundraiser who also had a big role in helping him.

“He stopped saying I can't do anything. I can't do anything and started saying I can do stuff. I can ride a bike. I can do this,” Standish-Fleming said.

They’re now using this time as an opportunity to help others learn more about resources out there for kids like Wyatt. In turn, it’s helping them heal.

“You can do the things you want to do. You know it might be rough today but you can overcome," Standish-Fleming said.

Standish-Fleming is now a board member of North Carolina Adapted Sports.