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What do you do when a pickup is flying down the highway, going head-on at traffic, and worst of all, it's with an 11-year-old kidnapped in the front seat? >> I told myself, my dad for sure, there's no way that they're going to be alive. >> On the night of May 9th, 2024, Greenfield police in Wisconsin spotted a stolen truck that was reported missing months prior. One officer silently trails the vehicle, waiting for backup before attempting a stop. Thank you. Heat. Heat. 35th Street at Morgan. left side up to be very Oh, okay. entering the freeway right now. Traffic is medium here. Well, heading up to 53 90 Going low mile about 90° traffic is right. Still left up to 72. 76. All right, we're getting back on street. an hour right now. We should be the momentarily here light traffic. Continuing on through the red And we're through Morgan. be there about 80 light traffic going up to Oklahoma. 230 is on through 35th Street. Should be coming up to 27 Street. And they do ahead. We're trying to get some foot Heat. Heat. We are behind here. Heat. Heat. All right, we got a northbound 11 from coming up on There is no information. Never really close enough 3273 11 from left. If you guys just want to check there for a little bit. confirm we're 11. We are terminated. >> All right, let's uh start checking the area. Let's van out. >> Officers ended the chase, but it wouldn't take long for another department to find the vehicle just 9 mi away near a residence after the suspect failed to pull over again. A second pursuit circled back toward Greenfield, where the original cruisers eventually re-encounter him. What officers don't know, the driver now has an 11-year-old passenger in the front seat. 328 call speed 065 again Wednesday [Music] probably All right, current. One officer tries to set up stop sticks to end the chase, but the suspect arrives faster than expected. >> The vehicle is east on the left on lane. Speeds are 50. Clearly behind us. We're getting on Never use anything. It looks like he's going to be going south on 27th Street 27. Going back north on 27 coming up to the freeway along the northbound on 27 coming up to Cold Spring about 605 northbound U7 northbound He's still got all >> traffic light speed is about 90 coming up to Howard. >> So confus >> and west on Howard from 27 making a U-turn going back. He might stop there. 27 and oh no he might stop there. 27 and oh no south on 27. on 27 from Howard 92. >> No traffic continuing southbound on 27 speed run 60 north of you. >> I got to get out. Coming up to Cold Spring. We had about 80 light traffic [Music] over the freeway coming up to light and traffic is still light. Speed is about 80 and he's south of play. See when south on 27 light traffic >> I'm going to get out the intersection here ready >> and through continuing southbound [Music] light traffic still by He's got about a walk to ahead of us. He's coming up to grab speed is 85 southbound 27. Speed is 90 southbound 27 through traffic light. Roads are dry. Two green fields behind it or in front of me through Ramsey. Speeds are 90. Traffic is light. Going off the momentarily 43 minutes. are 70 and 12 traffic [Music] heavy right now. 707 zero traffic 0 traffic that I got a dress east oneway pickup 20 speed passing freeway here. Hit a car. We're going to run now. >> The truck crashes almost an hour and 15 minutes after the initial pursuit began. Just before the crash, concerned parents called in to say their 11year-old son may be an innocent passenger in the vehicle. Over your head. Over your head. >> Correct. Is it on the side? >> I copy that. At least two occupants of the car and one might be a 12y old. Be advised. [Music] >> Get out of the car now. Get out of the car now. Get out of the car. >> Get out of the mother now. Get out. Motheruck. No. Watch the car. >> Watch the car. >> Watch the car. >> Watch the car. Hands up or you're going to get shot. Hands. Just hands. Hands. Hands. >> Keep your hands up. >> Keep your hands up. Somebody get a fire extinguisher. >> Show your hands. >> Stop it. Turn around. I'm about to start eating the out. Give me a goddamn hand. We're not moving. We're not moving. >> We need a fire extinguisher. >> We got to get out of the car. That car is going to go. We got to get her in first. Come out. Crawl towards us. Crawl towards us. >> I can't. My legs hurt. >> Crawl towards us. >> Crawl. >> Please help me. >> Okay. >> Don't Don't me. Don't drive me. 20th or 19th and starting on fire. >> Vehicle's clear. >> Sorry. >> That's Yeah. Sorry for what? Stupid. >> You just hurt so many people. >> Goddamn idiot. Five cars, man. An idiot, man. [ __ ] go. >> Put him down. Put him down. Put him down. Put him down. Put him down. Put him down. Driver's in custody. >> Help me. Help me. Just put it down, please. >> 42, there was a child in the car. You okay? >> Hello. >> Driver's in custody. >> Is he okay? >> What the were you doing? >> Sorry. I'm 11. >> You're 11? >> My phone's gone. >> He's okay. Is he okay? >> What were you doing? >> I was trying to get away. >> Why? >> Who is he? A >> Griffin Johnson. >> No. Oh, turn the lights on. I'm sorry. >> Help. >> Just lie still. Let's fly still. >> You okay? >> You guys have got fire extinguishers. >> Franklin, there's a 12-year-old in that truck. >> Well, it's nice to know now. Fire extinguisher. You got one. My leg. >> Your leg. >> Med for an 11year-old. >> 11. >> 11. >> Got my mom. >> 11year-old. Extreme leg pain. >> Here. Let's move in the car. All right. >> Stand up, boss. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. [Music] >> Everyone in the vehicle moving, please. We're going to help you. Okay. Breathe. >> What's your name, bud? >> Hayden. >> Oh, sorry. >> Is he okay? >> Do you hear him? >> Oh, he is like screaming right now. So, >> all right, Hayden, you're going to be okay. All right. >> Can you do this to me? >> I got Why? >> I just wanted to get rid of you. >> So, sorry. >> You got any weapons on you, boss? >> No. Please, please. >> I shouldn't have. >> You're okay, man. >> No, no, don't don't go to the church. Just let me take it off. >> We need to check you out. Are you able to take it off? >> Yeah. >> 28. >> Don't move. Okay. >> Please. >> Okay. No. No. Stay down. Stay down. Stay down, brother. Stay down. >> I know. >> W still. The ambulance is going to want to check you out. All right. >> Can I get my mom? >> Okay. Yes. >> What hurts? Got a good ID in here, bro. >> Yeah. Here's my fingers. >> Fingers. Okay. >> And my left finger a little bit. Yeah. >> Is he okay? >> Can you wiggle your toes for me? >> Uh, yeah. >> Okay, perfect. >> I'm not going to go. >> Oh, >> could you see if the sheriff shut down the freeway southbound on 94 at trucks shut down the southbound offramp. >> Okay. >> What about this one? Can you feel this? >> All right. Perfect. Get out. [Music] >> Bro, I just remember on his tattoo. >> Where's my mom? >> What's your mom's name? >> Ashley. >> You guys good here? >> Yep. >> Be good. I'm going to be gone for a while. >> Would you guys be okay with trying to switch all this off? Are you guys good with that? >> Yeah. >> So, your brother or something? for staying with my brother's friend. >> You know what my phone is? >> No. What does your phone look like? >> It's a red phone. It's an iPhone 13. >> I'm going to go home after everything tonight. >> You already have a fire signature. >> Is it all done? >> Just hold still, man. You're all right. >> 35 available. Looks like we have the whole county here. >> Hey, throw one in the squad car. I'm out of here. >> Is it you guys or our guys? >> Doesn't matter. >> I'm so sorry. >> My my arm though. >> Love you. >> I love you, too. >> You want us to uh Yeah. >> All right. Yeah. Take these off him and then uh put your crust on him. >> Don't do nothing stupid. >> Is there anyone else in the car with you? >> No. completely on fire. >> I don't have this lady. >> It's inside. >> It's inside. >> It's inside. Okay. >> Oh, man. That's the last thing you need to be worrying about right now. Don't worry about this now, man. >> My legs hurt. >> Your legs hurt, buddy. >> Just try to lie to them. >> Keep your head down. >> I think I hit him with my legs. I hope I did it. [Music] >> At the floorboard by the pedal. >> Keep your hand behind your back. Yes, sir. >> Kayen, I'm sorry. >> Doing a good job. Just hold on. All right. >> Oh, thank you. >> Hold on. You're just You're okay. >> You're okay. All right. >> Don't keep your head down, man. >> Just for your info, I still have dad on the line. They're obviously pretty panicked. I let them know that he's out of the car and they're out with him. He lives on and said Griffin had been staying with him. Is anybody or you able to talk to him at this point? >> Um, just stand by with him. He's probably going to be getting transported. >> I just got out of jail, too. >> Court records indicate Griffin was arrested for burglary 2 weeks prior. He was out on a $1,000 signature bond during this incident. The details of which will be revealed by the end of this video. Too >> far just my leg. >> Did you hit him on the dash? >> I think so. I don't know. I just I All I know is I saw that we flipped. >> Okay. Were you wearing your seat belt? >> Yes. >> Okay. Good. >> Yes. >> How old are you? >> 11. >> 11? Holy Driver? Yep. >> Like six cars, man. Hit one back 27 in Howard. The first one you hit. Hit some cars in Milwaukee. Even chase you the first time. What are you doing, dude? >> God damn, bro. You got big ass bills, too, that you got to pay. >> What's your left? What is that? A light? >> Probably, man. [Music] >> The fire guys are just getting here. They're going to be here to check out here. >> Am I getting a bill? You think? >> Dude, that's the last thing you got to be worn about. Just little locket. No, it's tighter. doing all right. All right. Stay awake. All right. The >> ambulance just >> legs and he has a cut on his hand, too. >> All right. Only person in the vehicle? >> No. Passenger. >> Is there another person? >> In custody. >> Yeah. >> I'm not sure where they have him, but he's >> They have my legs broken. >> Check out obviously. >> Yeah. Roll over passenger in that car. >> Yes. Hold on. Stay. >> Okay. I don't ejected at all. >> Not ejected. No, we had to remove him. The car was on fire. >> Are you able to move your feet? >> Yeah. Good. Okay. >> Don't eject here then. Leg needles. >> Well, yeah. He's grabbing hot right now. >> No, that's just like a family friend or something he said he's staying with. >> Dude, we got that we got that info right before he crashed. Uh, one of the other officers said he was feeling he had a knot on his head. >> Okay. >> He cares about his >> amal initial. >> I need my mom. I just want to hear. I mean, >> was his plow down? Do you know? >> I don't breathing. I thought it was his wheel. >> Yeah, we thought it was he kept on dropping the plow. >> Yeah, >> cuz as I said, I was pulling front tires down. His front tires down, but he's still driving. >> 42 to 64. The parents of the child are now running up to you. >> You need to go to the hospital. >> You want them to like the whole thing? >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. >> Aiden, is this your phone? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I'll go in your pocket for you. Okay. >> Update. I got up to the scene right now. [Music] >> Are you Ashley? Okay. They're going to be taking the children. >> Hold on. I know. >> Mom's going to be there. Okay. >> I know. I want the ambulance. >> Just don't move. >> I told you never to go anywhere with him. >> I love you, baby. >> Where the is Griffin? Who's Griffin? >> Theing driver. Let's go. >> He can move his legs. Right. >> Yeah, he can move his legs. All right. He's doing fine. Yep. in a good hand. >> As long as you're breathing, nobody would tell me anything. >> Okay, >> I'm sure you guys probably can't find it. >> What? What are you looking for? >> He has his phone with him. >> He does? >> Yeah. >> I don't know if it's working, but he has it with him. >> At the hospital, family members share how they believe Hayden ended up in the stolen truck with Griffin. The driver is listening to us. >> Okay. So, you know him from >> We He's my older son's friend from school. Uh we took him in cuz he didn't have any place to stay. >> I was trying to get parent info for him so I could notify you guys and then like I had just gotten that and then all of you guys came running up. So, you were aware he was driving that car cuz he was at your house with it earlier or >> I wasn't home. We were out. >> We were listening to the scanner. As soon as I heard that Aiden was with driven and a high-speed chase and I'm pretty sure Damian, my oldest son, knew that he was in the truck and he said that was his truck and then my wife started freaking out and I >> right police right called the police department. >> Do you know where he got the truck from? >> I have no clue. I didn't even know he had a truck. >> The truck is reported as stolen. So that's why we were chasing it. >> News reports share Griffin later told detectives his Xanax dealer gave him the stolen truck two months prior in March. >> He led this at least four agencies I know of you real crazy in Milwaukee. Multiple highspeed pursuits. So Hayden was with him the entire night. Then >> I have no idea. I was just hoping that we could get a hold of you guys in time to back off enough so he would score. I knew he wasn't uh >> Yeah. I I don't know what he was thinking, but he he's being very reckless. >> Well, I'm sure he was. Were you there at when it happened? Who pulled him over? >> I did. >> You did? >> Yeah. >> Was he strapped in? >> He said he was wearing a seat belt. Um the seat belt wasn't on him. >> The car was on fire and the airbags were before and I couldn't really see into the car very well. >> Okay. >> I was kind I kind of peaked through and I saw that it was just a kid so I just tough kid. >> Yeah. I just don't understand why he was in that car. >> All I know is Griffin better not get out of jail anytime soon. >> I would hope not. >> Hayden's brother shares with officers that after the first pursuit, Griffin stopped by their home before the second pursuit began. >> Looked out my window. I seen him run out the truck. So I like quickly went to the door and he like screamed that like he like away from the chase from South Milwaukee down to Franklin and he got away from like 30 cops or something. He's like yelling about like, "Oh, where should I put it? Like I need somewhere to hide it." He grabbed bleach to he was going to bleach it down to like wipe away from fingerprints. Getting my little brother was like, "Um, oh, I know a spot like where you can hide it and stuff. I can show you and stuff like that." I tried and I tried telling him not to go with like multiple times. And I He didn't want to listen. So I told him like, "If you go, it's on. It's all your fault. It's on you." >> He's very stubborn. He doesn't listen to anybody. >> And then he called you. >> Oh yeah. He called me saying um like, "Oh, he's he's scared." and uh >> stopping for the police. We're in a highspeed chase, not stopping. >> And then he said that he lost mom and dad and so >> and that he's sorry for not listening. >> So he was home with you when Griffin came home and then he left with him. >> Okay. Do you know how he got the truck? >> No. >> We let him start staying with us, okay? Cuz he needed a place to go. Broke up with his girlfriend. We let him come in a couple weeks ago. He was arrested because we called the police on him because he was drunk under the influence. He wanted to leave the house. He wanted to drive. He said, "You're not driving your car anywhere." He goes, "Well, then I'm going to take the bicycle." I said, "Driv still." Wouldn't listen. Called the police cuz he was talking about robbing people and breaking into people's houses and all this stuff. >> Oh, hold on. >> Called at 10:12. >> He called and that's when he was saying like all were being chased. >> Yeah. As soon as he as soon as they left, uh, I heard sirens. So, I assumed it was a chase happening. I was hoping not. say anything? >> Uh, I didn't deal with him. Other officers had ordered him out and they took >> So, he got out on his own. >> Yeah. He got out and got taken into custody and uh >> So, that piece of was okay. >> That's what it looks like. >> I hope they don't let him out. I really >> I imagine he'll sit. >> He just got released. >> He wanted to talk to you. >> Okay. >> How you feeling, buddy? >> Wants to give him a hug. Thank you for saving me. Of >> course, buddy. >> Hey, you're our family's hero right now. >> I'm glad you're okay, buddy. >> Did Griffin even say anything to you when you >> Yes. He yelled, "I'm sorry, Aiden. He love you." This is not love and you will never see him again. Next time we just we need you to listen when we tell you not to do something. Okay. You should have just say that. >> No back out last second. He pushed me in the car. >> I know. We're just glad that you're alive. Okay. >> Ah, my head. Don't touch it there. >> And essentially said that uh he just was in a police chase and he got away and he was looking for a place to hide the car. >> Mhm. >> Okay. And then what happened from there? >> He was like, "Hey, dude, I know you know places on where to hide it. You know you're not going to come." >> How would you know where to hide the car? >> That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard in my life. >> He grabbed me and chucked me into the car. >> You said he pushed you into the car? >> Yeah. He tried to back out last second and he said, "Now I need you." He picked me up and chucked me in. I thought you asked him something when he went. >> So, leave stop the car. Let me out and he can continue to go. >> He said, "I'll do it later. I'll do it later." I don't want to I'm trying to get him to tell you what he told me cuz I don't want it to look like I'm feeding him things to say. I want him to say it. >> So, when he was trying to throw you in the car, were you telling him like, "No, you don't want to go or >> And then, uh, did you call your brother while the chase was happening?" >> Yep. >> You're pretty scared. Oh yeah, it's like one of them things that you see in GTA [Applause] break both your legs cuz you're able to run pretty after that. >> After his arrest, Griffin faced charges for one count of vehicular fleeing of law enforcement, two counts of secondderee recklessly endangering safety, two counts of felony bail jumping, one count of fleeing and causing bodily harm or property damage, and one count of neglecting a child resulting in bodily harm. Griffin did indeed get a $25,000 bail. though this never actually gets paid. Despite the defense's attempts to lower the bail amount, despite his admissions to police, Griffin plead not guilty to all charges. However, roughly 9 months later, in February 2025, he struck a plea deal. Griffin plead guilty to one count of fleeing and causing bodily harm or property damage, one count of secondderee recklessly endangering safety, one count of neglecting a child resulting in bodily harm, one count of felony bail jumping, and one count of burglary from his previous case. When factoring concurrent sentences and jail credit, Griffin will spend 3 years and 9 months in prison, followed by 4 and a half years of extended supervision. He must also pay restitution of nearly $22,000, provide a DNA sample, maintain absolute sobriety throughout, write a letter of apology to the victims, conform to mental health assessments, have his driver's license revoked for one year, and has lost his right to own firearms as a convicted felon. His expected release is early November 2028 at 24 years old. If he stays out of trouble, he will get out of probation April 2033 when he will be 28 years old. >> We're doing our first ever video interview for survivors of crime, and that's to amplify the voices of people who have survived pretty scary situations. On today's call, we've got Ashley and her son Hayden, who are just featured in our video. Hayden, you want to say hi? >> Hi. >> And Ashley. Ashley, your mom, correct? >> Yes. Yes. As the conversation unfolds, Hayden is unaware we've prepared a special surprise at the end of the interview. >> First questions are for mom. Walk me through the day from your perspective. When did you first notice something was wrong? >> I was actually door dashing. My ex was with me in the car. We were doing it together. We see just a line of cops flying out of our neighborhood and I chuckled and I said, "Remember that time we went somewhere? My older son was being babysat and we pulled up and he was in an ambulance. I freaked out and I'm like, "Well, hopefully that is not for us this time again." So, I threw on the police scanner. We get home, no cops around. You don't hear them anymore. And I'm giving a playbyplay. I'm like, "Oh, it's a high-speed chase. Like, I wonder what's going on. I hope they get them." And my older son comes downstairs and he says, "Mom, I got to talk to you." It was that moment he kept repeating to me, Hayden is in that car. Hayden is in that car. I still wasn't understanding like, "What car, Damen?" And he points to my phone. He's like, "That car." That's when I knew like this is bad. >> Of course, Ashley. Oh my gosh. Thank you for sharing that. How are you able to hear your local scanner audio? >> There's an app that they have. It's just called Scanner. >> Great thinking. We love seeing like informed citizens that know what's going on, you know, when they see lights and sirens up. What' you do first? Who did you >> My then husband. I told him like, "You got to call the police." Like Griffin has him in that car. We got to get him to stop. who was trying to call my son, but his phone was dying and Griffin had taken it from him and threw it across the car. At that time, I did not know that and I was trying to locate his phone, but I couldn't get his location. So, we called the police and we kept telling dispatch like, "Stop the car." Like, I'll do whatever it takes to get Griffin to come back. Just stop chasing cuz my 11-year-old is in that car. They weren't listening. She was trying, but with so many towns involved, there's just no way you can tell all of them at once to stop. >> So, you're on the call with this [ __ ] almost the entire time. Okay. >> Yes. They kept putting us on hold and she said that she was trying to like talk to her sergeant, the police that were chasing them shortly after that. I heard on the phone that there was a rollover crash, car on fire on Threal. And she told me to just stay home. I said, "There's no way I'm staying home. It's right down the street from my house and I need to know if my son is alive." But when it's such it was it's such an emotional thing to go through. you're just on autopilot. All you think about is your kid and if they're okay. So that's when I got in my Jeep and you raced down there. >> I don't think anyone's going to blame you. I think that's what any any parent would have done. >> When we got there, police at first were trying to stop us and I yelled at them like, "My 11-year-old is in that car." And that's when they all looked at each other like, "What? An 11year-old is in that car?" Like they had no idea. And that's when he said, "Just go run go up. Just run up there. I don't run. But I ran over a mile to get to my son and I did not stop. It was difficult. >> I think that's an incredible story of mom's love. Vehicle crash, roll over, car on fire. >> Running up there like the only thing that's going through your like mind is like all the worst case scenarios. I thought my son was dead. I thought for sure there's no way that they're going to be alive. When you get up there and you see your son being pulled out of the car and put on a stretcher and all you hear him yelling for is mom like you don't like that's when you get the relief. Okay, he's alive. At least he's alive. So once I see my son alive, that's when I was like what were you thinking? The police had to pull me away from it like okay this isn't happening right now. Now I can look back and laugh at her like yeah he probably should have waited. But police were very comforting, very, you know, letting us know like they have Griffin, they're going to take care of him. They thought that Hayden had a concussion, which he did. He couldn't walk. He couldn't feel his legs. There's a lot of physical therapy involved. You're worried that there's like internal damage. Like, is he going to make it through the night? That was tough cuz like, you know, he's alive, but is there anything else wrong that's going to come up? Cuz anything can happen. >> Longest night of your life. What happened in minutes felt like a lifetime. You know, about two weeks later is when I took him to the orthopedic surgeon to find out he did in fact have a fracture in his growth plate. Just about a week ago, he was having pain. So, he took him back in. And now they're saying that his growth plate stopped growing, which means that he might have to have surgery again. Even though Griffin did what he did, he was also concerned about like, is Griffin okay? The anxiety wanting to know where Griffin was, like we didn't really want to talk about those things. We just wanted to make sure that he was okay. >> What's something you want the public to know about what it's like to be the survivor of a violent crime? >> Like afterwards you're reading the comments and you're like, "Oh, the kid in that car should have never been there. The parents don't know what they're doing." What they need to know is like sometimes you care about somebody else's kid that's not yours. And you take them in and you think that your family's going to be okay and that you're doing a good service by like helping this child that's in need. Like we were just trying to do good and help them. My son was just wrong place, wrong time. Unfortunately, this situation has made it where I don't think I will help somebody again like that. Like take them in and put my family in jeopardy from somebody else's, sorry, their bad behaviors. You really don't expect it from somebody. They can really manipulate you into thinking that they're somebody that they're not. >> Thank you for sharing that. Personally, one parent to another, I just want you to know I thought you were a great parent and you were trying to help someone out and it's the criminal that's at fault here that prayed on good people. That's more or less the end of the story for me. >> Thank you. >> Anything you want to share about how Hayden is doing now physically and emotionally and what resources have helped the most? >> Therapy. I swear by it. A lot of people say, "Oh, you're in therapy." And they they look down on that, but really it's like the number one thing that will help. We were doing that for a while and he was refusing for a while to talk. He only wanted to talk about it with us. There was a lot of trauma and like because he was in a white truck, he didn't want to be in a white truck. The speed in a car, it's been very difficult cuz you can talk to other people all you want, but I think when there's somebody outside of it judgment free that can help you through those things and they know what they're doing to help you, that's when you see improvement. You just have to take it one day at a time. >> Candid feedback. What's one thing you would say to the 911 team first responders that went well? And what's one thing you want them to consider doing differently next time? >> What I would have loved for them to do was to actually listen to us. I knew Griffin. I knew that I could get him back to my house. I would have let them sit in my house waiting to arrest him. If they would have just stopped, my son wouldn't have ended up in the hospital. Even after all of this, I still think that they did the right thing whether my son was in that car or not because Griffin was a criminal. Something else could have happened. You know, a lot of other people could have been hurt. High-speed chases, I've always said they shouldn't stop. They're putting other people's lives in danger. Don't stop chasing them. So, it's a push pull for me what they could have done different cuz honestly, I think it just ended the way that it it should have ended. >> I appreciate that honesty. Hey, Hayden. >> Such a good mom. She's like, "Sit up." >> Oh, she thanks for doing the interview. I want to start with a really basic question. What do you want people to know about you besides this incident? >> He's just a normal kid. >> You want people to know you're just a normal kid. So, what's your school life like? >> Basically the same. Besides like gym and stuff, that's a little bit more difficult. Favorite class is probably fitness and conditioning. And then least favorite is probably science. >> All right. Anyone you want to shout out to? >> My friend uh Raz. He uh he helps me through it a lot. >> All right. Here's to Raz. How did you feel when you first realized that your parents were on scene? >> Yeah, I'm kind of screwed. So, >> you weren't relieved. You were worried about what kind of trouble you were going to be in. Is that right? >> During the pursuit, what were you thinking about? >> When are we going to crash? And how is this going to play out? >> Did you have your seatelt on? >> Yes. >> All right, that's good. Good. >> Yeah. He yells at us if we're not wearing our seat belt. If we don't put it on right away, we start moving. He's like, "Mom, put your seat belt on." Hayden, you sound like a pretty smart kid. Who was the first person that you remember talking to once you were out of the vehicle? >> He was a Greenville police officer, but I have a picture of I have a picture of that officer. He was at his bedside. >> There's an officer that you still see occasionally. >> Yeah. His name's Elm. >> Elm still talks to my son to this day. He's always checking in on him. That's become his best friend. He's a really cool cop. So, like they've been great to us. When I woke up from getting knocked out, that's when I was like clinging on to Griffin tell him to get me out. I couldn't I couldn't get out. My leg was stuck. >> What helped you feel like things were going to be okay in the future? >> After I went to like the doctor and figured out my growth plate was fine, but then like two days ago after finding out I might need to have surgery, that kind of went downhill. >> What's something normal you're excited to do again? >> Running. >> Some questions for both of you, Hayden and your mom. A lot of times we hear people say, "Hey, let me know if you need anything." But what were some things that people, friends, family, community did that actually helped out? >> So, we really kept all of this to ourselves. We really didn't want to tell everybody about him being in that car. It was really the school that helped more. They were willing to come to the hospital to bring him his school stuff, his computer, everything that he needed so he could get his schoolwork done while he was there. That was a great big help because I didn't have to go out of my way to do all those things. We also had grandma who helped with everything. >> Kudos to the school. That's awesome to hear. What do you wish people understood about trauma and recovery that they usually get wrong? >> Yeah. After the car accident, they said I was going to have a lot of PTSD and I didn't think so. First car ride home was difficult. You might not think that you'll have it, but you're going to end up having it anyway. Can you tell me about what you felt in that first car ride after the crash? >> You don't know what's going to happen. There was just like so many cars that were like like flying past you. You don't know what's going to happen. >> What's the next milestone that you're aiming for together or something you're looking forward to as fall even? >> I'm looking forward to this light getting fixed. >> Yeah, same. >> The team at Midwest Safety has been working on a little bit of surprise and we talked to your mom about this. Do you have any idea about this or no? >> No. >> In the video, you talk about your red iPhone 13. >> Yeah. >> So, the team at Midwest Safety, we got some money together. We sent a gift card to Ashley to get you a brand new iPhone today if you guys want to. >> Really? >> Oh, >> yes. The team behind the scenes, they were so touched by your story, Hayden, and your courage. They wanted to make sure you don't have a scratched iPhone anymore. >> I appreciate it. I'm alive. What do you say? >> Thank you so much. There's a lot of people behind the scenes. They're very proud of you, Hayden. They thought you showed a lot of courage. And Ashley, from one parent to another, hang in there. All right. Don't be a stranger. Reach out anytime. >> All right. Thank you.

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