Alberta MLA Jason Nixon shares update on son’s recovery 4 months after rollover crash

Alberta MLA Jason Nixon says his son Austin has been released from hospital, four months after he was involved in a rollover crash near Sundre.

In a post to X, Nixon and his wife, Tiffany, said their 16-year-old son Austin has left the Calgary hospital for the first time since the crash.

“Four months ago, our lives changed in an instant when our youngest children, twins Austin and Chyanne, were involved in a car accident. While our daughter walked away with minor injuries, our son Austin was in critical condition in the ICU in a fight for his life,” Nixon said in a statement posted to his social media channels Saturday.

On Dec. 1, Nixon’s twins were involved in the crash near Sundre. Nixon’s son, Austin, was critically injured and airlifted to hospital.

“The weeks that Austin was in a coma were by far the worst of our lives, and the possibility that Austin would never wake up was overwhelming to our family,” the statement continued. “The day that he woke up from his coma is a day that we will celebrate for the rest of our lives.”

Nixon said the family celebrated the milestone last weekend as their son was discharged out of the Calgary Children’s Hospital and returned home to recuperate. Nixon said his son Austin will continue with his rehabilitation as a day patient.

“Every day, we are amazed by Austin’s progress. He has fought every step of the way, starting with learning to move again, and to speak, then to learning to walk and care for himself. Now he is moving on to the next stage of his recovery and we know he is up to the task,” Nixon said.

Shortly after the crash, Nixon, who serves as the MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre and as minister of seniors, community and social services, said he needed to focus on his family and asked his staff to concentrate on his ministerial work. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Dan Williams has stepped in to support Nixon who has also attended several government announcements in recent months.

“There will be many challenges ahead, including regaining the ability to eat and adjusting back to school. But we could not be more proud of Austin’s determination through this process and we are confident he will fully recover,” the statement continued.

The family thanked first responders and health care workers for aiding in their son’s recovery.

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