Tomáš was only seven years old when his life – and indeed, the life of his entire family – was turned upside down. On All Saints' Day, November 1, 2025, he was hit by a car in a crosswalk. Just a moment before, he had been playing outside with friends. Then came the ambulances, hospitals, fear, and days his mother Erika would never forget.
Tomáško suffered severe damage to his brain and cerebellum, a strong concussion, and pelvic injuries. Doctors put him in an induced coma, and the family could only wait and see what would happen next. Erika sat by his side every day, reading to him and singing. She believed he could hear her somewhere inside, even though they told her at the hospital that he wasn't aware of anything. The awakening period was the hardest. Tomáško began to stir, but he didn't open his eyes, which wasn't a good sign, and their fear grew even bigger.
Later, he was moved from Košice closer to home, to the Prešov hospital. And it was there that the moment came that gave them new hope – they received a call from the hospital saying Tomáško had opened his eyes. For his mother, this meant immense relief because they could move him to a regular ward, and she could finally be with him around the clock. From that moment on, he began to progress faster. He recognized everyone, perceived his surroundings, and was back in reality, although he couldn't speak yet because he had a tracheostomy. He was a quiet, calm, and very obedient patient whom the nurses also grew fond of.
Then came another powerful moment. Erika started singing him a song in the hospital, which she had also sung to him during his medically induced coma in the ICU. They had never sung it at home before. Suddenly, Tomáško joined in and started singing it with her. He knew the lyrics. That's when she understood that he had been perceiving her somewhere deep inside all along.
Throughout this entire journey, the family had to learn to function completely differently. Their young daughter, who was only one year and two months old, also stayed at home, and her mother saw her only once in a month and a half. However, she knew that Tomáško needed her the most. Their faith gave them great strength. To this day, they say that a miracle happened with Tomáško. It is also symbolic for them that the accident happened on All Saints' Day, and Tomáško took his first steps on Christmas Day, December 25th.
When they finally got home on December 14th, they knew that rehabilitation would be the next step. Tomáš’s body was very weakened; he had to recover from his pelvic injury as well, and his brain needed time and intensive therapy. That's why they came to Adeli. The family believes that rehabilitation will help him regain confidence in his movement, strength, and greater independence. „It's incomparable to exercising at home. Tomáš cooperates with the therapists, laughs with them, and literally looks forward to therapies that support correct movement patterns as well as stimulate the nervous system, which helps the brain to recreate and strengthen connections after such a serious injury.“
Tomáš loves soccer and is eager to get back on the field with his friends. He's getting closer by leaps and bounds, and everyone considers his progress a huge miracle.
