Local boy's recovery after accident continues

Bowersox family still fighting, but hopeful

DURHAM, N.C. – The Bowersox family is taking one day at a time at North Carolina's Duke University Hospital. The Bowersox have been at the hospital for more than a month, after 5-year-old Ben Bowersox broke both of his arms and severed his fingers in a freak accident at Craig Airfield.

Ben has been through dozens of surgeries and his prognosis for recovery was positive, until last week when Ben suffered a major setback. Doctors told Ben's dad, Steve, that Ben had developed an infection and had gone into septic shock.

Channel 4 spoke with Steve Bowersox by phone Tuesday to get an update on the 5-year-old's health. Bowersox said the power of prayer is keeping him positive during this difficult time. Bowersox also said that while Ben is doing much better than he was last week, he's still not out of the woods.

"If you lose it, if I lose it, Ben doesn't have anybody here. I'll have missed that holding point. I've got to be strong for him," said Steve Bowersox, who is a local pastor at First Baptist Church.

Ben has undergone multiple surgeries while recover at Duke University Hospital. Doctor's discovered that Ben had a fungal infection called "Aspergillus Fungus" and that fungus had developed in his wounds.

"They're going to close up the wounds that they left open. The thigh and hand, they may not completely close. They're going to clean it up, they're going to remove some of the materials, like a typical clean up from a major reconstructive surgery like this. They may have to reshape it and adjust it and some materials may not take," said Bowersox.

Bowersox said his son is proof that resilience and toughness can come in small packages.

"He is going to make it," said Bowersox. "He's a tough little cookie. He's a real fighter. I'm proud of him."