‘I thought he was dead:’ Family faces unthinkable after tree falls on car, hitting 6-year-old

By Taylor Thompson

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    ARDEN, North Carolina (WLOS) — An Asheville family’s trip to the grocery store Sunday, Dec. 10, ended in horror when a tree fell on their vehicle, slamming onto their 6-year-old and sending him to the hospital, where he remains in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Two parents, Ashley Bullock and John Saunders, said they were looking for peace and quiet when they decided to move their family to the mountains back in October.

With three children and another on the way, Ashley said that as a family, they love to be outside together — especially their 6-year-old son, Corbin.

On Sunday, Ashley said they needed to go to the grocery store and sent her husband, John, to do so.

He took Corbin with him, and on the way back Corbin wanted to stop for a hike.

John said they began to drive up the Collier Cove Nature Preserve when all of a sudden, a tree came down, landing on top of their car.

“There was no cracking, there was no noise, there was no warning, it just came straight down,” he said.

At first, John said he thought it was just a branch as it somehow did not hit him at all.

“I’m crawling in the back to check on Corbin to see if he’s okay,” John said, “and I look back… His eyes were open, his head was covered in blood; he was completely limp. I thought he was dead.” He said he crawled back to hold Corbin and that, thankfully after a few minutes, the boy began to cry and move his fingers.

That’s when John called 911 — and Ashley said she then received one of the worst phone calls a mother could get.

“It’s a parent’s worst nightmare,” she said.

John and Ashley said they’re trying to take everything one day at a time right now, as they don’t yet know the extent of neurological damage to Corbin. Through it all, they’re counting their blessings that he is alive.

“I thought I was laying in the back of my car holding my dead son,” he said.

Ashley explained how Corbin is a lover with a big heart, but, most importantly, he’s a fighter.

“I think his personality is what’s giving him his fighting power right now,” Ashley said, “because he’s definitely not one to back down or give up.” She asked the community to pray for Corbin’s health, that he will make a full recovery.

“Praythat he’ll come home and be Corbin,” she pleaded.

“They say it hit the front (of his head), which is his personality or the emotion side,” she continued. “I just want him to still be Corbin.”

Of course, though, the main thing Ashley said she wants right now is to just take her baby home.

“His siblings want him home,” she said. “He looked at me and said, ‘When Corbin’s coming home, momma?’ and I said, ‘Just a couple more days, buddy; he’s just got to get a little bit better.'”

John and Ashley hope to bring Corbin home by Christmas.

They’re both spending all the time they can at Mission Hospital with Corbin, which is placing a financial burden.

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