By Kiyanna Stewart
On the sixth year and seventh month anniversary of the near-fatal car accident, which initially left Brooklyn-native Jamere Stewart with a severed leg, the 16-year-old is doing much more than doctors expected, as he and his family begin to prepare for college.
On July 17, 2002, Jamere, then 10-years-old, was carried away on a stretcher from the grisly scene of the accident at a Burger King on Albemarle Road in the Flatbush section of the New York borough. His left leg was horribly mangled after a minivan swerved out of control and slammed into the restaurant, striking the boy and three others who were passing by. The driver of the van saw the boy and the carnage, and collapsed. She was eventually not charged in the accident. "I just remember being dragged by the car for a few seconds, from the street, through the glass of the Burger King, and then stopping at the counter inside [Burger King]. I also remember my dad running inside, and waiting with me until the ambulance came," he recalled. "I think I was very strong."
Jamere now attends Fair Lawn High School in New Jersey's Bergen County, after having moved to the small suburb with his parents and sister in August of 2003, only one year after the accident. The eleventh-grade student is known by his teachers and fellow students as a "hard worker and an amazing athlete," said Director of Athletics, Corey Robinson. Jamere is a member of the high school's top-ranking varsity wrestling team, the Fair Lawn Cutters. "Wrestling was a way for me to become physically active again. I played soccer in AYSO [American Youth Soccer Organization] throughout elementary and middle school and after the accident, wanted to regain my mobility, stength and speed. After being on crutches and in a wheelchair for so long, I had to get into sports again, " explains Stewart.
When asked about his star player, Jon Piela, Head Coach of the Cutters, emphatically expressed, "he's a blessing. He has a great story and because of what he's physically, emotionally and psychologically gone through, is one of the strongest kids I know."
Stewart plans to pursue a profession in the medical field as a surgeon or sports therapist. "It's important for me to be able to help others, because many people were there to help me. During all seven of my surgeries and after going to rehab for a year, I learned to appreciate all the people I came in contact with. Everybody," Jamere exclaimed. Tufts University, Rutgers- The State University of New Jersey, Rice University and Boston University are among his top choices for college, but he and his family plan to continue the search for an academic environment that best suits him. "We're presently researching colleges with excellent medical programs, that won't exactly break the bank. The economy will certainly affect our final decision next year," said Jamere's mother, Yasmin Stewart. "After the accident, he received a hefty settlement, so we're counting on that to pull him through at least undergraduate school, but hopefully some of graduate as well." The Stewarts won't be the only family applying for federal aid next year. According to U.S. News & World Report, in 2008, about 1.4 million more students filled out the Federal Application for Free Student Aid, an increase of about 10.4 percent over 2007. With layoffs increasing and stocks tumbling, that number may skyrocket in 2009. " The money is important. I know everyone's thinking about it. I just want to be at a school I love, so I can ultimately be a great surgeon. That's all I want for myself right now. But, are they ready for me? I don't really know," chuckled Jamere.
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