Toddler Survives Terrifying Crash After Doctors Reattach His Head

In what is being called a "miracle surgery," doctors in Australia successfully reattached a toddler's head to his neck after a tragic car accident, 7 News Melbourne reports.
Jackson Taylor was only 16 months old when he was in a near-fatal crash with his mother and sister. Rylea Taylor,  Jackson's mom, described the horrific details of the accident online:

On the 15th of September three boys decided to do doughnuts and burn outs aside a bend in a NSW highway at 11 a.m. Their stupidity cost my family more than you could image. As my car came around the bend at around 100-110kms dust covered the road - the p platers had released their break and drove straight out onto the highway. For a split second I saw dust and then the force hit. The collision [was] so hard that all airbags were deployed. My nine year old daughter was unconscious, my 16-month-old-son was screaming—both were bleeding from their tiny faces. As I kicked open the crushed door I was faced with the three irresponsible boys in school uniform who had just broken my family. As I pulled my son from the car I knew his neck was broken, as bystanders and my in-laws, who were traveling behind us, assisted getting my nine year old from the car, I tried to remain calm, I tried desperately to hold my children, I told them we were OK.

In the impact, Jackson's head separated from his neck, an injury known as an "internal decapitation." Doctors didn't think Jackson would survive.
Dr. Geoff Askin, known as the "godfather of spinal surgery" headed up the team of surgeons who worked on Jackson. He described his injuries as the worst of its kind that he had ever seen. Surgeons operated for more than six hours and were able to reattach his vertebrae using a piece of the toddler's rib and some wire. They first had to attach a halo onto his head and hold him perfectly still while they performed the delicate procedure.
"A lot of children wouldn't survive that injury in the first place, and if they did and they were resuscitated then they may never move or breathe again," Dr. Askin told 7 News. He has to wear the halo device for about eight more weeks, but other than that, doctors say Jackson will be able to live a normal life.
"We're very, very thankful," Jackson's dad Andrew Taylor said of the operation.
Jackson's mother Rylea has since started a petition for harsher punishments against reckless drivers.