Callie Wright, wife of rodeo star Spencer Wright, shared a heartbreaking update about their 3-year-old son, Levi, who is in critical condition after an accident on the Utah River.
Levi was believed to have been brain dead after nearly drowning when he fell into a river from a toy tractor on Tuesday. He briefly woke up on Friday, but his mother said on Friday the family were “devastated” after seeing the results of an MRI.
“The MRI results are not good and we are devastated, but the images do give us some quality of life,” wrote Kari Wright, who posts updates about her son on Facebook. “The real answer for us will be how Levi does in the next few days.”
Levi is Primary Children’s Hospital He is undergoing treatment in Salt Lake City after Tuesday’s accident, and although the results of an MRI were disappointing, there were early signs of recovery that gave his family hope.
Rodeo star Spencer Wright’s son regains consciousness after being declared brain dead after river accident
Spencer Wright, 33, is ranked 40th in the world in equestrian events. Wright’s 3-year-old son, Levi, remains in critical condition after falling into the Utah River while riding a tractor. (Stacey Scott/Deseret News via The Associated Press)
Mindy Clark, a family friend who also posts updates about the boy on social media, said Friday that Levi’s EEG monitor showed brain activity when he heard his sister say, “We hope he gets better and we can’t wait for him to come home.” The monitor also responded when the family played dinosaur sounds from Levi’s favorite book and when his mother gave him a kiss, Clark said.
Wright asked for prayers as the family continues to seek the best medical advice and treatment for Levi.
“Please continue to pray! I have not given up on my baby yet,” she wrote. “I am working with a neurologist and educated specialist who is knowledgeable in this field to get an MRI for him and will just wait and see how my strong boys do over the next few days. You may not hear from us for a few days but we are focused on Bean!”
Levi was playing outside his Beaver County home on Tuesday when his mother went inside for a short while. When she returned, the toddler was nowhere to be found.
Rodeo star Spencer Wright’s 3-year-old son hospitalized after falling into Utah River while riding toy tractor
Spencer Wright competes in the Saddle Bronco Riding BP Super Series I, Round 2, at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo on Wednesday, March 5, 2014, in Houston. (Marie D. De Jesus/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
“I’m asking all Beavers to come to my house and help me find my son who is in the water,” she posted on Facebook during the search.
The Beaver County Sheriff’s Office, which did not release the boy’s name, said in a statement that they received a call about a boy who had fallen into the river from a toy tractor around 6 p.m. The boy was found unconscious in the water about a mile downstream, Clark told KUTV.
“[Kallie] A small tractor flipped over I called 911 right away. “I jumped in the water to look for him,” Clark told KUTV. “I don’t know how long he was in the water, but he had swept quite far out.”
Initially the outlook for the family was bleak, but a test on Wednesday gave them hope.
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Stetson Wright, Jesse Wright, Ryder Wright, Rusty Wright, Spencer Wright and Cody Wright pose onstage during the “Outside the Barrel” show with Flint Rasmussen during Cowboy Christmas at the National Finals Rodeo at the Las Vegas Convention Center on December 7, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo: Mindy Small/FilmMagic)
“When the doctor came into the room to finish up the procedure, he was a bit surprised by his assessment of our daughter and felt very strongly that we needed to give her more time,” the family said Wednesday. “That doesn’t mean we won’t be back in 12 hours holding our son in our arms and preparing to say goodbye, but it does mean there is time for a miracle to happen. We shouldn’t give up on our son just yet.”
Clark wrote that the family has been “incredibly overwhelmed” by the love and prayers they have received since their child was injured.
The toddler’s father, 33-year-old Spencer Wright, is a world-ranked saddle bronc rider ranked 40th. He and his three brothers made history in 2014 when all four qualified to compete in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which Wright ultimately won.
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The family was the subject of a book called “The Last Cowboys” and was featured in an episode of “60 Minutes.”
Earlier this year, Wright won first place at the Rio Grande Livestock Show and Rodeo. Mercedes, Texas.
Fox News’ Christina Coulter contributed to this report.
