Man Recovering After Near-Fatal Oak Park Hit-And-Run; Driver Still Uncaught
CHICAGO (CBS)--November 8 started out as a regular day for Matt Creedon. He finished what started out as a regular day helping his mom at Oak Park's Associated Tire and Battery before a horrific hit-and-run accident nearly changed everything.
But after spending seven days in the hospital--five of those days conscious-- and undergoing open-heart surgery, Creedon's gashes have begun to heal into smaller scars.
Less than a month after a still-unknown driver smashed into him at the intersection of Lombard and Roosevelt after he left the shop, Creedon is back at home recovering from his injuries--both physical and emotional.
After waking up from his coma earlier this month, emotions took over when he told CBS 2's Jeremy Ross about the accident--which he doesn't remember.
"Knowing you could just be gone like that..." he said in his hospital bed.
Today, he hobbles around his home on crutches, but his spirit remains strong.
His spirits are high despite the driver who hit him remaining uncaught.
"There's been no breaks for me--except for my pelvis," Creedon said.
Oak Park police say surveillance footage from cameras near the scene of the crash has been unhelpful to the investigation.
Part of a fog light was recovered from the accident scene, but mechanics were unable to connect the part to a specific vehicle's make and model.
Witness accounts were conflicting.
Creedon said one witness told him she saw a midsized black SUV.
"She says she wishes she would've seen more," Creedon said.
His injuries have left him unable to work, and Creedon said any information leading to the arrest of the driver would be beneficial.
"It would just be huge for me," he said. "I've been out of work for the last month, so there's no insurance or anything."
With physical therapy, Creedon says he hopes to be back to normal in a few months.
A GoFundMe page set up for Creedon had raised $4,900 toward a $30,000 goal as of Nov. 28.
"Matt is one of the best people on this earth and he will get by with help from those he always shared love with," the page reads.
