We hear it all the time, but life truly can change in the blink of an eye. The Jedwabny family from Appleton, Wisconsin, understands that better than most. Last summer, their then-15-year-old son, Brett, was helping power wash his family’s home when a tire exploded, sending debris directly at his face and head. His mother, Nicole Jedwabny, thought her son was dead. Somehow, she had the strength to call 911, ultimately saving her son’s life.
Brett’s father, Tyler Jedwabny, told People his wife called him in a panic, screaming.
“She was just screaming, ‘He’s gone. He’s dead. His brains are all over,'” Tyler Jedwabny recalled. “‘Wait a minute, you have to slow down. You have to tell me who,'” Tyler Jedwabny. “That’s when I found out it was Brett.”
Emergency responders arrived on the scene a short time later and rushed Brett to the hospital, where a miracle occurred. A man scheduled for a craniotomy gave up his slot and surgeons took Brett to the operating room immediately.
“Those sheer seconds saved his life,” Tyler Jedwabny told People.
While doctors didn’t think Brett would survive, he defied the odds. He spent 10 months in recovery, first at Milwaukee Children’s Hospital and then at Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago. Brett graduated to the Ronald McDonald House and was released in May 2025.
Tyler Jedwabny told WBAY that the first responders who took Brett to the hospital helped escort him home.
“That was probably the most emotional part of this was seeing the people that were there, who gave everything that day, and were at their best,” Tyler Jedwabny told the news station.
Brett’s friend, Joseph Noack told WBAY he loved having his friend back home. “I’m just so happy that there are so many people in the community that are here to support him and give back through any troubles that he has,” Joseph said.
Brett’s family shared an update on Facebook following his release from the Ronald McDonald House. Nicole and Tyler Jedwabny want everyone who has followed their story to know how much their support has meant.
“Gratitude then became a fixture for us as a family because of all of you. It was everyone who follows, said a prayer, called, text, visited, or donated in any way. It was all of you that pushed us to continue, gave us strength when the tank was low,” the post reads in part. “We truly found out how important family, friends, and communities are. So if you are reading this, pause for a moment and know we are so very grateful for you.”
