A toddler suffered a devastating head injury but survived after he was dragged for 35ft beneath a reversing car outside his home.

Two-year-old Sage Wilson was accidentally struck by a family friend’s Volkswagen Jetta.

His mother, Jamie Wilson, was watching her son and her other children play on a swing set in their front yard with her friend when she went inside to use the bathroom.

In the five minutes she was away, the friend decided to leave and accidentally reversed over Sage, pulling him along the road for 35ft before driving away without realizing what had happened.

Ms Wilson was horrified when she came outside to find a crying Sage seriously injured, with part of his skull visible on the left side.

She bundled the kids into the car and got the attention of her husband, Blake Wilson, who was inside the house, by honking the horn.

While rushing to the hospital, the parents were advised by emergency services to pull over and wait for an ambulance, which transferred Sage to an emergency helicopter.

The boy was airlifted to Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, where he underwent emergency surgery to treat his injuries and a skull fracture.

Since the accident on September 27, Sage has undergone three surgeries, including one to remove gravel that had become lodged in part of his skull.

He has also undergone a skin graft, transferring skin from one side of his scalp to the other. Although he will carry permanent scars and will never grow hair on that part of his head again, his recovery continues.

“There was blood everywhere and the skin had been completely pulled away from part of the left side of his head, so much so that I could see a large part of his skull,” Ms Wilson said.

“I screamed when I saw Sage’s injuries. I put everyone into the car and immediately began honking the horn and calling for my husband.

“We rushed toward the hospital, but 911 told us to pull over and wait for the ambulance. He was awake in the car, but there was blood everywhere. My mum had to fly with him in the air ambulance because I needed time to calm down. I was in complete 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚌𝚔.

“When I gathered myself and got to the hospital, the doctors said they urgently needed to take him into surgery to remove the gravel and debris from his skull and wound. They explained it was putting pressure on his brain. They said he was fortunate because if a rock had struck a major blood vessel, the outcome could have been much more serious.

“He was in surgery for three hours while they cleaned and treated the wound. On October 4, he had a skin graft from one side of his head to the other to help close the wound. He will never grow hair on those parts of his head again. He also suffered a fracture to the back of his skull.”

After two weeks in hospital, Sage returned home with his family on October 9, but he faces years of additional surgeries to help repair his injuries and will likely carry lifelong scars.

The boy currently has to wear a wound vac 24 hours a day, a device that helps his wound heal properly.

Ms Wilson, who is also mom to son Pepper, five, and daughter Parslee, four, said: “He will have to have a few more surgeries over the next year and beyond.

“I truly believe it could have been much worse. He is our little miracle. He’s in great spirits despite everything he has been through. He doesn’t fully understand what happened.”

Despite Sage’s serious injuries, Ms Wilson said she does not blame her friend, who she did not wish to name, for the accident.

“After my son was taken by helicopter, I texted my friend to tell her what had happened. She had no idea,” Ms Wilson said.

“It was a tragic accident, and I know that. We are still friends. She feels absolutely heartbroken. Please never take your eyes off your children when they’re outside because situations like this can happen in just a moment. I will always be extra careful from now on.”

Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, which responded to the scene, confirmed they determined the incident was an accident.

Lieutenant John Holloway said: “After attending the scene, we concluded this was a tragic accident, and there is no further investigation scheduled.”