Fourteen-year-old Howard Sharp was getting pretty confident on his ATV, until a bit too much speed on his way to Sandy Lake outside of Rankin Inlet led to a devastating crash.

SA国际影视传媒淚t all happened so fast,SA国际影视传媒� remembers Howard, whose short-term memory is still suffering from the early-August accident.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was trying to slow down and then I donSA国际影视传媒檛 even know how the steering wheel turned.SA国际影视传媒�

Before he knew it, he had crashed, his helmet flew off and he was rolling down the hill. A passerby spotted the incident, and emergency responders attended the scene before sending him on a medevac to Winnipeg.

Howard was conscious after the crash but in bad shape.

His mother, Pelagie Sharp, said it was shocking and frightening to see her own child in that situation. When he made it to the hospital, Howard had bleeding in his stomach, swelling in the back of his head from blood collecting between his skull and scalp, and a plethora of cuts and bruises.

SA国际影视传媒淭he neurologist told us that if he wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 wearing the helmet it would have been a completely different scene,SA国际影视传媒� said Pelagie.

He spent five days in the Winnipeg hospital recovering and even got a visit from fire chief Mark Wyatt, who happened to be in the city at the time.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat helmet probably saved your life,SA国际影视传媒� said Wyatt, speaking to Howard as the two met up again at the Rankin Inlet fire hall recently.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e known him since he was this tall and I read about the accident and he was in the hospital. I figured ISA国际影视传媒檇 go see him, see how heSA国际影视传媒檚 doing.SA国际影视传媒�

Wyatt said there have been six medevacs due to ATV accidents in Rankin Inlet this summer, and all of them have taken place outside of the hamletSA国际影视传媒檚 limits.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 where all the accidents happen,SA国际影视传媒� said Wyatt about the road out of town. SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 where people are going much faster.SA国际影视传媒�

He wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 sure if people thought it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 cool to wear a helmet, but he is sure they make a huge difference in the event of an accident.

SA国际影视传媒淎 severe head injury is going to cripple you for life,SA国际影视传媒� said Wyatt, adding that many of the accidents this summer have had alcohol involved.

SA国际影视传媒淗oward wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 drinking, fortunately, but weSA国际影视传媒檝e been to a number of accidents this year where people could barely walk and theySA国际影视传媒檙e driving.SA国际影视传媒�

Howard is still recovering and his headaches, as expected, have started. He was short on what to say, but he did have one piece of advice after his ordeal: wear a helmet.