A musical ‘thank you’ to the hospital that saved his life

Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2006

Click here to enlarge this photo Chris Rossi⁄The Gazette James Dreben (left), 12, of Washington, D.C., and Matthew Morgan, 11, of Potomac, performed at a benefit Saturday for Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., the hospital credited with saving Morgan’s life after he was struck by a car in February. Morgan suffered such severe brain injuries he was not expected to survive, but is back to making sweet music with his band ‘‘Danger”. Click here to enlarge this photo Chris Rossi⁄The Gazette Matthew Morgan, 11, of Potomac, rocked out at a dance party his band ‘‘Danger” hosted Saturday at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad to benefit Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. A sixth-grader at the Woods Academy in Bethesda, Morgan suffered severe head injuries in February when he was struck by a car while skateboarding near his home. The benefit raised $10,000 for the hospital he credits with saving his life.

Hit by a car while skateboarding near his home in February, the sixth-grader at Wood’s Academy in Bethesda suffered a serious brain injury that could easily have ended his life. He spent 13 days in a coma. When released from the hospital after 37 days, he had to relearn such basic skills as walking and talking.

‘‘It’s something of a miracle that Matthew survived, and that he is doing so well now,” said his mother Karen Morgan. ‘‘His doctors say the fact he suffered no other injuries helped, but also that he has a supportive family and a strong will to get better.”

The Morgan family planned the benefit as a way of saying thank you to the hospital for its excellent care, she said.

The dance party for students in fifth through ninth grades held at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad raised $10,000 for the hospital.

Another hospital benefit is planned at the one-year anniversary of the accident on Feb. 8. For information, go to www.focat.org.