Monday morning, Patrick Kelly and his crew stopped near Shrewsbury Road when an SUV struck the back of the truck. The vehicle pinned Kelly, severing his right leg.
NEW ORLEANS — Patrick Kelly and his crew were collecting garbage for Waste Connections on River Road in Old Jefferson.
Monday morning, they stopped near Shrewsbury Road to empty some trash cans when an SUV struck the back of their truck.
The vehicle pinned Kelly, 41, against the truck, severing his right leg.
“It’s going to be hard,” Michella Durel said. “In a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He’s a hard worker. I just don’t know what he’s going to do.”
Durel is the mother of Kelly’s two children, Myla, 4 and Patrick, Jr., 6.
“My kids keep asking, can I see my dad, can I see my dad, can I talk to my dad,” she said. “He doesn’t want us to see him like this.”
Jefferson Parish Firefighter Charles White applied a tourniquet to Kelly’s leg at the scene.
Assistant Fire Chief Michael Travis said the tourniquet kept Kelly from bleeding to death.
“I’m very proud of Firefighter White and his quick thinking and his attention to duty is just amazing,” Travis said. “He did in fact save that man’s life.”
And for that, Durel is very grateful.
“If it wasn’t for you all, putting that tourniquet on him, he wouldn’t be here, so just thank you all so much,” Durel said. “Words can’t even express my gratitude.”
Investigators said the woman who hit Kelly was texting and driving at the time.
State police arrested May Wen, 41 from Metairie on several charges including negligent injuring.
“This is terrible, just be more careful,” Durel said. “Just don’t text and drive. If you’re in a car and you need to text, just pull over.”
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