Britney Gordon, Reporting
On the morning of his eighteenth birthday, Francis Mejia’s life was forever changed when he was involved in a road traffic accident that resulted in the amputation of one of his limbs. Around ten a.m., Mejia and his friend, Carlos Garcia were travelling on a motorcycle down Altun Ha road when he collided into the tail end of a vehicle turning onto another road. Mejia lost control of the cycle and veered off the path, crashing into a nearby house. The intensity of the impact left Mejia’s leg in a gruesome state and left Garcia with several broken bones. After hearing about the incident, Francis’ younger brother Malachi, rushed to the scene. It was during his race to get back home that the younger man collided with an approaching van. Their mother, Melonie Mejia, recounts the event.
Melonie Mejia, Mother of Victims
“Both of them are injured. One of them lost their foot and the next one has a broken leg. Well, the next one, his left leg is broken and his wrist is broken on his left hand, and Francis is the one that took catching an accident first while the other one knee by the name of Malachi. He went on a cycle and look for his other brother, but I never know when he left because when my ma holler at me, I have my husband nephew in my hand. Then the next lady come and ask me. She said, please come ya miss please come ya, I figured more or less something done wrong already, right? And I said I can’t take it no more, I can’t take it no more. I just bawl out.”
Melonie Mejia
“While I was driving down to Sandhill to catch a ride, So I call my husband, I tell him, I tell him, I told Francis ketch in an accident. He said, well the ambulance come for he. Alright, then I call him, I tell him that the next one ketch an accident, so we have to end up turning back. So, that, that when I end up in the hospital, Malachi was unconscious.”
“I understand that it was Francis’s birthday.”
Melonie Mejia
“Yesterday was his birthday, and the next one is next two weeks from now.”
Melonie sympathizes with her son Francis, who after enduring a traumatic event, awoke to the news that his leg had been amputated.
“All I know that. When he conscious this morning that when he know that his foot is cut off, but they couldn’t save it. They can’t do nothing better.”
Britney Gordon
“Your son, Malachi, went to the scene to see his brother in the accident and from what I’ve heard, he went back home to get you, to tell you this news.”
“Actually, he don’t know weh I mi deh. So I guess that’s why it must happen that way.”
Britney Gordon
“And now both of them are, receiving medical attention. But are they in stable conditions?”
Melonie Mejia
“Both of them can’t move right now.”
Melonie Mejia
“My number is six-zero-seven-seven-three-nine-seven. The other one is six-two-nine-six-three-two-one. The next one is six-ten-zero-three-nine-five.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.