News

Jan 04, 2024

K

by: Malik Jackson Posted: Jul 25, 2023 / 10:09 PM CDT Updated: Jul 25, 2023 / 10:09 PM CDT MANHATTAN, Kan. — One year after a Kansas State University student’s face was temporarily disfigured after an

by: Malik Jackson

Posted: Jul 25, 2023 / 10:09 PM CDT

Updated: Jul 25, 2023 / 10:09 PM CDT

MANHATTAN, Kan. — One year after a Kansas State University student’s face was temporarily disfigured after an ATV crash, he’s breaking his silence.

To say his progress is a miracle would almost be an understatement.

“It definitely was like a shot, like oh dang, you never know when you will see someone last,” Kye Schmale said.

A day out on a Polaris, almost a deadly adventure for Schmale and his friend.

“The person I was riding with took a turn too fast and we took a tumble,” he said.

That ATV flipping and flipping. While there will never be a definitive answer, it would appear he was thrown out of the top, breaking through the roof.

“My right jaw was completely shattered, kind of where my jaw goes into my skull was broken on both sides. My teeth were in the middle of my mouth,” he said.

He was at school at K-State at the time, so he was taken to a Topeka hospital but quickly brought to KU Hospital for the best possible care.

Not only was his jaw essentially separated from his face but his back was also covered in road rash and the chances for a complete recovery seemed slim.

But all he needed was a chance. Doctors put in a titanium plate where his jaw shattered. After months of physical therapy and battling through simply trying to eat. He’s made a full recovery.

This near-death incident has made him ever so grateful for the two rocks in his life. His mom and dad.

“I love them so much. They were always there whenever I had my positivity, they were never like oh no, they were like, yeah you can do it,” Schmale said.

His advice to others getting on an ATV.

“Buckle up, strap up, helmets if you got them and then take it slow,” he said.

His K-State Delta Sigma brothers exemplified exactly what brothers should. Right there by his side, until the end.

Schmale will head back to K-State in just a few weeks and will graduate with his master’s degree in May.

His dream job is to be an athletic trainer for an NBA team.

Safety advocates urge all consumers using ATVs to know the risks and safety measures of ATVs before riding them.

The consumer product safety commission’s latest data show an annual average of more than 700 deaths and an estimated 100,000 ER treated injuries involving off highway vehicles.

• Never ride with more passengers than there are seats. Most ATVs are designed for one rider.• Never ride on public roads, except to cross, where permitted by law.• Always wear a helmet and other protective gear.

Submit

Δ

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.