Mother still searching for closure 2 years after Plymouth hit-and-run
Two years later, a Plymouth mother is still looking for answers after a hit-and-run left her son paralyzed and blind.
Pamela Mason, Austin’s mom, makes it clear the pain is still fresh and she’s doing what she can to give her son the best quality of life.
“We didn’t know that Austin would make it and he’s here, but it’s certainly not the quality of life that he deserves,” Mason said.
Not being able to walk or give his mom a hug – that’s the reality for Mason’s son Austin.
“There’s not a day that goes by where I’m not reminded of this,” Mason said.
On September 25, 2021, he was on a bike ride in Plymouth when he was hit by a car in a crosswalk.
RELATED: Plymouth police searching for suspect in hit-and-run that critically injured cyclist
“My son was catapulted in the air and landed in the middle of the intersection. His shoes were across the intersection and the bicycle parts,” Mason said.
After the crash, the driver sped away, leaving Mason heartbroken.
“He still can’t walk or talk and we learned this crash made him blind,” Mason said.
The now 21-year-old has been in rehab centers for physical and occupational therapy following the traumatic brain injury.
Mason explained through the years, she’s seen progress.
“He’s getting stronger in terms of being able to swallow, being able to hold a snack and being able to work the muscles of his jaw,” Mason said.
With the progress, comes pain.
Austin has been in Iowa to get expert-level care, but it’s kept him away from friends and family in Minnesota.
“He deserves the comforts of life and everything that’s been taken away from him and I need help with that,” Mason said.
She’s pleading for one more thing — hoping it brings peace to a tragic situation.
“I want to believe that this person is just harboring this horrible secret and feels horrible about it and guilty and is afraid to come forward,” she said. “I get that. We do, but we need closure.”
The Plymouth police chief said they are not investigating any leads at this time and the case is considered inactive.
The Mason family is fundraising to try and buy the equipment needed to get Austin back home to Minnesota.
RELATED: Plymouth mother still on mission to find hit-and-run driver who injured her son