Children's Miracle Network

Ministry Saint Joseph's Children's Hospital

Isaac Lepinski

Isaac Lepinski

It was a summer afternoon in July 2006 that changed Isaac Lepinski’s life forever. At his home in Amherst, Isaac was driving in a low riding go-cart. He was bouncing along a dirt road going up a hill in the woods when his cousin and friend approached from the opposite side on a four-wheeler. The boys and machines collided.

Fortunately, the other two boys sustained only minor injuries. However, the collision caused major skeletal, muscle and skin trauma to Isaac’s left side. Thankfully, since Isaac was wearing a helmet, he avoided any major head trauma. His aunt, a registered nurse, was first on the scene and knew to quickly wrap a tourniquet on his injured leg as the open fractures of his left femur, tibia and fibula were causing massive blood loss.

Bad weather prevented Isaac from being airlifted, so he was transported by ambulance to Saint Joseph’s Children’s Hospital. He had a broken ulna and radius, a dislocated wrist and a displaced fracture of the hip socket. His lower leg had massive tissue and muscle loss, leaving the majority of it exposed. At least two inches of his tibia was missing completely.

Isaac had surgery that night to stabilize the compound fracture and other injuries. He had more than ten blood transfusions within that first week. He underwent several major surgeries to repair his leg and hip socket. As if this were not enough, his body was also dealing with the shock of fluid loss and the exposure of bacteria from the ground. In the first week it was questionable whether his leg could be saved.

His parents Brian and Kim, and sisters Johanna and Gabrielle, were grateful that Isaac remarkably had no brain damage, no spinal cord injury or internal bleeding. Isaac remained in the hospital for five weeks.

Thanks to a comprehensive team of specialized physicians, surgeons and medical staff at Marshfield Clinic and Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Isaac has had an amazing recovery. Now, almost three years later, he walks with a three inch lift on his left shoe and either a crutch or a cane. He has endured more than 12 surgeries. The family’s message is “that no matter how much you protect your children, bad things happen to good people. We are lucky that Isaac had a helmet on. How different his outcome could have been. A few seconds and inches one way or the other could have made for a much more favorable outcome or could have led to loss of life.”

Kim commented, “I can honestly say even though I am a nurse I didn’t know much about Children’s Miracle Network, Child Life services, or what the Ronald McDonald House was all about. Unfortunately, we don’t always realize the impact services like these can have until you are the one in need. We were truly blessed by the wonderful people who helped us. Having Isaac here is undoubtedly a miracle on many levels.”

When Isaac’s mother asked him what the word miracle meant to him, Isaac replied, “Life, because every life is a miracle.”

Patti Shafto-Carlson
Director of Development - Children's Services
cmn@ministryhealth.org