On Thursday, May 8 at around 3 p.m. 21 year old Banks County native Dakota Ivey was involved in a life altering accident on I-16 in Savannah as he was heading home from his job to celebrate his Mama on Mother’s Day Weekend. Dakota was trapped under a semi for 2 hours. Initial assessments revealed internal bleeding from iliac artery and its branches, a traumatic brain injury, two small brain bleeds, collapsed lungs, multiple open fractures, crushed knees, broken legs, hips, ribs and a shattered pelvis. He also had a hole in his lower back where his muscles had pulled away from his spine and buttock's causing some of that muscle to die and a large burn on his hip. Dakota was on the vent for 9 days. He has had surgery to repair 2 arterial bleeds within the pelvis, fractures in the thoracic spine / lumbar spine and multiple orthopedic surgeries to piece his broken body back together. They know there is significant damage to the sciatic nerve as Dakota has still not gained much feeling or movement in his left side.
The next step is to get Dakota moved from Savannah Memorial to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta where he can begin intensive therapy for the brain injury as well as the physical injuries. His family knows this is a marathon not a sprint and they are committed to see him through. His parents, Mike & Amanda Ivey of Homer, and older brother Austin have been out of work for 3 weeks while staying in hotels in Savannah to ensure Dakota is receiving proper care. We know he cannot put any weight on his newly constructed knees for at least a month and no weight on his pelvis for 3 months. In preparation to bring Dakota home, the family will have to make their home wheelchair accessible by adding a ramp, remodeling the kitchen, a bathroom and bedroom.
Dakota enjoys working, playing golf, playing pool, duck hunting and fishing. He is a member of Coastal Georgia APA Poor League. Dakota had just joined the Selcat program and was working on furthering his education in the industry that he loves. He takes pride in his building substation and is proud to be part of Inception Energy Solutions and the Union.
