Calgary teen awake and moving after being struck by SUV in October

A Calgary mother’s prayers have been answered after her son woke up after a hit-and-run in the Montgomery area back in October.

It’s been close to four months since 17-year-old Brandon Taylor was struck by an SUV.

Calgary police say he was hit on 16 Avenue NW and 46 Street just after 7 p.m. on Oct. 17, 2022. He was rushed to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in critical condition.

Taylor was in a coma for months with his family by his side night and day, who were looking for any sign of recovery.

Then finally, about four weeks ago, Taylor woke up.

“I looked around like, what the heck, I’m really confused. And I go to walk, and I slipped and fell on the ground and set off the alarm, and I was like what? And that’s all I can remember,” Taylor said.

The grade 12 student is now on the path to recovery, and he is finally home.

Amid the confusion Taylor is experiencing, his mom, Kailey Naugler, says it’s been a long process.

“So his body was awake, and his eyes, and he was responding, but he was not quite awake,” Naugler said.

“It wasn’t until, I would say, the last month that his subconscious has come around, and parts of Brandon was coming back.”

Brandon Taylor, left, laughs with his mom, Kailey Naugler, as they look at a book inside their home in Calgary on Feb. 9, 2023. (Nick Blakeney, CityNews photo)

The heavy impact of the SUV on Taylor’s left side caused severe head injuries, and similar to a stroke, one side of his body is responding better than the other.

“At the beginning, we didn’t know the intensity of his head injuries. So it went from his jaw being broken, his collarbone, and the impact on his ear, to now he doesn’t have equilibrium. He can’t stand,” Naugler said.

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Taylor’s mobility is still very limited, and he suffers from short-term memory loss.

But the teen is now able to dress and is starting to eat soft foods.

He’s happy to be back at home with his family singing, playing video games and playing his ukulele, and he hopes to someday be back on his skateboard.

“We are gifted with him today .. instead of mourning a loss,” Naugler said tearfully.

Taylor is starting physical and speech therapy next week, as well as half days of school at the children’s hospital.

Officers say they found the SUV in late October. However, the driver has not been found.

Despite this, the family is still holding onto hope that the driver will come forward.

Brandon Taylor plays the ukulele for his mom, Kailey Naugler, inside their home in Calgary on Feb. 9, 2023. (Nick Blakeney, CityNews photo)

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