Mom says son remains nonverbal months after crash involving suspected impaired driver

GASTONIA, N.C. — The mother of an 11-year-old boy who is recovering after a serious crash in Gastonia last year is opening up to Channel 9 about his recovery.

[PAST COVERAGE: Gastonia man charged with DWI after 2 children seriously injured in crash]

Ja’Ryan Wright's mother, Amy Wright-Huff, told Gaston County bureau reporter Ken Lemon her son will return home on Feb. 19, nearly two months after a suspected impaired driver rear-ended their car on Garrison Boulevard.

Ja'Ryan suffered a brain injury in the crash and is nonverbal, but responsive. His 7-year-old sister, Nylah Huff, often visits her big brother in the hospital to read to him.

"She reads to him. She talks to him. She wrote songs about him, you know, their relationship brother and sister," Wright-Huff said.

Amy Wright-Huff and Nylah were also hospitalized after the accident, but are both doing well now.

The mother told Channel 9 she visits her son every day.

“Soon as I walk in the door, like as soon as he hears my voice he is wide awake,” she said.

Doctors say they will have to wait to see how Ja'Ryan’s brain heals to determine how much more he recovers. His mother said faith and prayers have brought him this far.

"I want to see my son up walking and able to talk to me again,” Wright-Huff said.

Police said 57-year-old Clifford Scoggin has been charged with DWI, driving while license revoked for DWI, two counts of felony serious injury by vehicle, failure to reduce speed and a red light violation.

Wright-Huff told Channel 9 she forgives Scoggins. She said she was impressed that he helped get her daughter out of the car after the crash. She said her focus, though, is on her son’s recovery.

Cox Media Group