Slow recovery for LSU grad after being hit by car - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports

An LSU graduate with a bright future is fighting a battle for which he has no control. Blake McKee, 26, is recovering from brain surgery after being hit by a car. His relatives said his progress is nothing short of a miracle.  

Brad McKee paints his brother Blake as a proud LSU graduate and fan, one who would never miss a home game. In fact, he says Blake was walking home from the LSU-Alabama game when he was hit by a car on Alvin Dark Avenue. The impact knocked him onto another car and to the ground. The driver who caused the crash fled the scene.

"My mom got a call about five o'clock in the morning, and she woke me up and said we have to get to the hospital. Blake is in critical condition," McKee said.

Three CT scans determined Blake had severe trauma to his brain. Doctors said they had to operate immediately.

"A blood vessel had exploded in his brain and he had blood the size of a tennis ball in his brain. It was severe. They didn't paint a good picture for us at all at that point," McKee said.

Brad said his brother was placed on life support in intensive care, until Tuesday.

"We walked in there for his 1 p.m. visit and he was off the breathing machine, no sedation at all and he uttered a few words to me and things like that," McKee said.

While Blake is making progress, it is slow. Brad said his brother can't recall what year it is or that he was hit by a car. But he's got what needs to heal.

"Blake's got a lot of good friends and support. That support, constantly being at the hospital with us, at the house and just bringing us food and water and things like that it's made the process a lot easier," McKee said.

Back at the scene of the tragic accident, Detective Don Coppola hopes the McKee's will get the same support from a stranger.

"It's an LSU home game. There are hundreds of people, possibly hundreds of thousands of people have to have heard, saw, seen something," Coppola said.

Blake's employer, Cajun Construction, is offering $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible.

Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward. If you have any information, you are urged to call Crime Stoppers at 225-344-STOP (7867).

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