STT. 14-Year-Old Boy Hospitalized After Accidental Rifle Discharge While Preparing for Hunting Trip
Christmas Eve should have been peaceful in the small rural area outside Groesbeck, Texas.
It’s the kind of night when families linger around the dinner table a little longer, where laughter echoes through open doors, and where the promise of a new morning brings a sense of tenderness and security.
Instead, that night became a night that changed everything for a fourteen-year-old boy named Ryen Harris-Contreras.
Ryen is just a child.
An eighth-grade student.
An athlete.
A son.
A close friend.
He spent that day like any other teenager during Christmas – spending time with family, enjoying the festivities, and planning for the days ahead.
That evening, he was at his best friend’s house in Limestone County.
A friend he’s known since he was three years old.
A friendship that grew stronger through scraped knees, shared birthdays, and years spent walking together down school hallways.
The two boys are getting ready to go rabbit hunting.
That’s something familiar.
One task is being supervised.
That’s something they’ve done before.
According to investigators, the weapon used was a small-caliber rifle.
The second boy believed the gun had been unloaded.
In a moment when no one could turn back, the gun fired.
The sound appeared suddenly.
Fiendish.
Final.
At 8:20 p.m., deputy sheriffs from the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office were called to a house in suburban Groesbeck.
When they arrived, they found Ryen with a gunshot wound to the head.
There are moments in life that divide time into before and after.
This is one of them.
My friend’s father heard something fall.
He didn’t hesitate at all.
He ran over to check.
What he found will stay with him for the rest of his life.
Ryen was injured.
Bleed.
Unconscious.
The man moved very quickly.
He called 911.
He cried for help.
He called Ryen’s mother, Sonora Smith, and told her to go to the ambulance at the hospital in Groesbeck.
No parent can be prepared for that call.
Sonora raised Ryen with the understanding that life can be very fragile.
She learned that lesson when her son was born eight weeks premature.
Back then, the boy made it through his NICU treatment in just three weeks.
She believed that strength still lay within him.
Medical personnel arrived quickly.
They have stabilized the situation in Ryen.
They inserted an endotracheal tube for him right there in the ambulance.
Due to the severity of his injuries, the boy was airlifted to McLane Children’s Hospital.
The doctors worked throughout the night.
The surgeons removed a portion of his skull to create space for the swelling.
They use very careful words when talking to their family.
Measured.
Heavy.
They told Sonora to prepare for the worst.
They told her that he might not make it.
For a mother, those words will never fade away.
They echoed.
They seep in slowly.
They change the atmosphere in the room.
Ryen is still in a coma in the intensive care unit.
The ventilator took over breathing for him.
The monitoring devices emit small beeps and alarms.
Outside the hospital, the Christmas spirit continues to prevail throughout the world.
Inside, time seemed to stand still.
Investigators later stated that the shooting was accidental.
There was no ill intent whatsoever.
No reckless actions were taken with the intention of causing harm.
It was simply a tragic, irreparable mistake.
Sonora has made one thing clear.
She doesn’t want to be blamed.
She wants to be understood.
She wants to pray.
Especially the boy standing next to her son.
A child will carry the memory of that horrific night for the rest of their life.
In the days that followed, something unexpected happened.
Ryen is stable now.
His brain pressure began to decrease.
His vital signs have improved.
The doctors began conducting tests for the reaction.
Then the moment Sonora would never forget arrived.
When stimulated, Ryen moves his legs.
It’s small.
But that’s all.
For the first time since Christmas Eve, hope filled the room.
Ryen is more than just a patient.
He is an athlete.
He used to participate in cross-country running.
He plays football.
He plays basketball.
He had planned to participate in track and field competitions this spring.
At Groesbeck High School, his teammates and coaches refused to remain silent.
They made a video for him.
Messages of love.
Words of encouragement.
The familiar faces reminded him of the person he used to be.
Sonora believes that is very important.
She believed he could hear them.
She believed that their prayers carried weight.
“I think that’s the only reason we’re doing this,” she said.
The Groesbeck community has come together.
The churches were praying.
Families eat meals together.
Strangers have contacted us.
A pastry sale was organized to help fund the long journey ahead.
The school administration is still in contact.
The independent Groesbeck School District issued a statement filled with confidence and hope.
They talked about healing.
Regarding the community.
On the day Ryen returned to school.
On the day he will once again compete alongside his teammates.
The doctors are still closely monitoring his condition.
The plan is to gradually reduce his sedative dosage.
Every step requires caution.
Each improvement is quietly noted.
Ryen is still in the hospital.
But he’s still here.
And for now, that’s enough.
