By Brandon Shulleeta From Richmond Times Dispatch

A Midlothian teen is set to return home today after he nearly lost his life when he was struck last month by a minivan while crossing a road in the Cayman Islands.

Harrison Zierenberg’s mother, Lee Ann, said her 17-year-old son’s progress has been miraculous, considering he suffered life-threatening head trauma.

“I just want people to know that their prayers have been answered,” she said.

The single mother of three said her oldest son, who was 16 at the time of the accident, was hit in his head, apparently by the minivan’s side-view mirror.

Harrison, a rising-junior at James River High School who lost his father to a vehicle accident years ago, had a metal plate put in his head and has been able to talk and communicate clearly, though he has had some short-term memory loss, his mother said.

“That’s the amazing part, that he was hit by a car going at least 50 mph. … His spine is perfect,” Lee Ann Zierenberg said, adding that she believes he’ll likely be able to walk again after extensive rehabilitation.

The crash investigation is ongoing.

Harrison will undergo another operation and begin extensive therapy at the VCU Medical Center upon his return Friday. He underwent an emergency surgery in the Cayman Islands and has been in a Miami hospital in recent weeks, Lee Ann Zierenberg said.

She said people in the Richmond area and in the Cayman Islands have shown support in numbers, praying for Harrison, donating money toward his medical expenses, and even providing housing for the Zierenbergs, for example.

Harrison was on a family vacation when he was struck at about 9 p.m. April 6 while crossing a street near the Marriott resort on the island of Grand Cayman, authorities said. Lee Ann Zierenberg said he had walked to a nearby convenience store, to buy water bottles.

During a phone interview Thursday morning, Lee Ann Zierenberg was at her son’s side in Miami and asked Harrison if he had anything to say, to which he responded: “Never give up.”

“He’s one of the most thoughtful, giving, loving 17-year-olds you’ll ever meet. He lights up the room with his humor,” she said.

The speed limit on West Bay Road, where Harrison had been struck, was reduced this month from 40 mph to its current 30 mph, according to the Cayman Compass.

The news organization’s editorial board called for a lower speed limit on the road after Zierenberg had been struck. Officials had long contemplated reducing the speed limit on that road, where other pedestrians have been hit, according to the Cayman Compass.

While Harrison has medical insurance, many of his medical expenses aren’t covered under his insurance plan, his mother said.

To help pay for some of Harrison’s ongoing medical expenses, donations can be made to www.gofundme.com/rm6xv6x6x

A 5K run/walk and other events will also be held at ACAC Midlothian at 4 p.m. on June 20. More information on the event, including how to register to run, volunteer or donate, is available at m3events3.com/Harrison-Strong-5K.

IMAGE: Zierenberg

For more on this story go to: http://www.richmond.com/news/local/chesterfield/article_2fabea43-5d99-5f1c-bdef-f436a3eea75b.html