St. Louis area stabbing victim who had '1%' chance of survival thanks his saviors

After hugging trauma surgeon, Dr. Brad Ross, Jonathan asked, "How bad was I?" Ross says 80 percent of Jonathan's aorta had been severed in the attack. He said he had a one percent chance of living. "Blood pressure was non-existent for one point in time, his heartbeat was going but he didn't have a blood pressure. He was minutes from not making it."

"If it wasn't for everyone making the right decision at the right time," says Jonathan's mother Amy Alexander, "this would not even have been possible." 

Ross says the first right decision was made by the EMT's, who had called for a helicopter, but decided not to wait. "There was no conversation," says Paramedic Nic Hoeffken, "it was we are not waiting for the helicopter. We are driving to the hospital." 

"In my opinion," says Dr. Ross, "if EMS would have waited for 12 to 15 minutes for the flight to come here, this would have been a different outcome."

Ross told Jonathan that because the wound was behind his pancreas, it was a difficult injury to identify and repair. Within five minutes of his arrival at the Mercy South Emergency Department, Jonathan was in surgery, where his aorta was repaired. 

He was later transferred to St. Louis Children's Hospital. After several weeks he was released to Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital, before returning home. He is now heading back to school with few visible signs of the trauma, except for a scar on his forehead and a finger on his left hand that is not fully recovered. 

Ross says the work of all involved produced a moment where they were able to shine as an institution for Jonathan, "The healthcare forces in full effect, were able to come together and save a life."

"You don't survive what I went through," says Jonathan, "I got so lucky."