Seniors hurt in crash hours before graduation; share experience from hospital

NORMAN, Okla (KFOR) - A violent crash sent three 18-year-old's to the hospital Friday afternoon as they were on their way to graduation rehearsal. The car hit a slick spot on the road causing them to lose control and slam into a tree off Hardesty road in Bethel Acres near Shawnee. David Ramos and his two friends Silas and Landon were in the truck. David and Silas are still in the hospital.

"What I remember is hitting some mud and spinning the car. We spun out or whatever out of control, and next thing you know, I'm in a ditch facing the other direction," said David Ramos, a high school senior.

David's dad telling KFOR, it was a scary situation in the hospital.

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"He was on the ventilator and they really couldn't give us any information for the first hour and a half to 2 hours that we were here, which I'll say that is absolutely the worst feeling in the world to set out in that waiting room and not really know," said Rickey Gourley, David's father.

While he didn't make it to graduation Friday night, the school made it a special day. David's friends walked across the stage for him and picked up his diploma.

"It was almost like I was there, in a way in spirit, but not in body," said Ramos.

A day later, he took his first steps after the crash, and started physical therapy.

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"And as you see, he is talking and his cognitive is there. It's just I mean, the power of prayer works," said Gourley.

David, a high school senior and wrestler, says he's stronger than this crash.

"This is nothing compared to all the wrestling practices. This is nothing. I want to make that known that I am strong mentally and physically and will never let my family down," said Ramos.

All three are improving, and they caught up with each other through facetime on Saturday.