Athol Teen Home For Thanksgiving After Spending 3 Months In Hospitals

BOSTON (CBS) -- Just in time for Thanksgiving, a local teenager is home tonight after spending 98 days in three hospitals. He was critically hurt in a terrible accident last August, but he battled back.

Thirteen-year-old Javan Fox from Athol walked out of Franciscan Children's Hospital today with no help. That's something his family could not have imagined three months ago. That's when Javan suffered a brain injury and almost died in a crash with a pickup truck while he was riding his bike.

"He couldn't walk. He couldn't talk. He couldn't eat," said his mother Devone Fox.

The intense therapy at Franciscan's was necessary but grueling. It was hours every day; speech, physical and occupational therapy. "They kept on asking me to do stuff, so I just kept on doing it so I could get out of here sooner," Javan said.

And that's exactly what happened.

"Javan's short-term memory is affected. He had to relearn to walk. He had to relearn to communicate," said Devone.

Now, his family is looking at their best Thanksgiving ever. "To have him home for the holidays is truly a blessing," his mom said.

"I'm just looking forward to seeing my family," said Javan.

Leaving Franciscan Children's is bittersweet for both Javan and his therapists. "All of the nurses have been so kind and his care team is phenomenal," said Devone.

Occupational therapist Kaleigh Duggan said, "He always talks about how important his family and friends are. So he's ready for that sense of home again."

And soon this hockey player, volleyball player, saxophone playing, Boy Scout will be back to school and back with his friends.

Javan's mother added what happened to her son was just a terrible accident with no one to blame.  The driver is now a family friend who has visited Javan and held fundraisers for him.