KANAWHA COUNTY, WV (WOWK) – The family of an 8-year-old boy is thanking the 911 dispatcher and many other responders who helped save his life.

According to the Kanawha County Commission, Carter Casey, 8, was involved in a go-cart accident that resulted in a two-inch pipe puncturing his chest and hitting his lung. His family called Metro 911 of Kanawha County, where dispatcher Brooke Rhodes, 19, answered the call.

The commission says Rhodes’ “excellent training and quick thinking” helped Carter and his family through the emergency in those crucial moments. She dispatched an ambulance to them so that within minutes, the medical attention Carter needed was on the way.

Thomas Hospitals said the crash happened on July 4, and Carter was taken to Thomas Memorial Hospital where he was stabilized. He was then taken to the WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital in Morgantown by the Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority. Thomas Hospitals says he could not be flown due to severe weather in Charleston that day, but HealthNet was on standby farther up I-79 if needed during transport.

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Carter is out of the hospital, and recovering thanks to Rhodes, the first responders, and hospital staff who answered the call. On Friday, Carter; his mom, Nia; and his brother, Corbin visited Merto 911 to pay Rhodes a visit and thank her for her role in saving his life.

“Metro 911, South Charleston Fire Department Station 4, Kanawha County EMS, Thomas Hospital, HealthNet (on stand-by but couldn’t be used due to weather) and Ruby Children’s Hospital were all nothing short of AMAZING!,” said Nia. “There were a lot of moving parts and puzzle pieces in a time of pure chaos, but all first responders and medical staff were prompt, calm, supportive and knowledgeable.”

According to the commission, the family got to tour the Metro 911 facilities, received a Challenge Coin, and got to meet and pet 911’s pup, Pip. Kanawha County Commission President Lance Wheeler was also on hand to present Rhodes with a Proclamation of Appreciation for her “outstanding” work.

“It’s not often that a dispatcher gets to see a positive outcome and meet with the person on the other end of the call,” the commission said on social media . “Carter is a very resilient young man. He says he wants to be a police officer when he grows up. We think he will make a great one.”

Nia tells WOWK 13 News that Corbin Thomas Hospitals says they were also able to have the Casey family in for a visit on Thursday.

“Today, Carter is a healthy young man, and we were thankful to celebrate him with his mother Nia and brother Corbin,” Thomas Hospitals said on social media.

Nia tells WOWK 13 News Carter is continuing to heal and recover at home, and that they went back to Morgantown Thursday to get his stitches and staples out. She says Carter did lose part of a finger in the accident, and that he’s starting to accept it and that he’s “excited to show everyone at school.”

“If this traumatic experience had to happen, I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. I know God had his hands on my baby boy the entire time. Our family and small community came together to lift all of us up in prayers,” Nia said. “Carter stayed so brave and strong throughout the entire stay at Ruby. He went from intubation on a ventilator to walking out of that hospital within seven days. I am still so humbled and grateful with everyone we came in contact with that week.”

Along with the first responders, Nia says she is grateful to the friends and family who have supported them and helped them to get help quickly, including Carter’s friend, Levi, who helped carry him to where they could call for medical assistance.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOWK 13 News.