Rose basketball highlights
Tue. |4-1-25| FEATURES
On Feb.18, a tragic accident occurred at Elmhurst Elementary School. Elmhurst teacher Carol Carson, mother of junior Carys Carson and freshman Holden Carson, was pinned between two cars at Elmhurst’s carpool lane as she held her student’s hand and saved his life. Both the student, Kennedy Castillo, and Carol suffered intense injuries throughout their bodies.
Carol has been teaching physical education to elementary students for about six years, incorporating both foundational and fun lessons for her class. Her passion for teaching goes beyond exercise, as physical education helps develop students’ motor skills and understand teamwork.
“She loves working with the kids,” Carys said. “She can't go back to work, [and] she can't see them, so she just feels a lot of sadness and anger.”
That Tuesday afternoon, at the pick-up line, Carol was helping walk seven-year-old Castillo to his car when the accident occurred. The student’s car seat was placed on the driver’s side of the car, so they had no choice but to walk between two cars.
Photo by Gabriela Castillo
When she was walking, "I believe the person behind her who hit her took their foot off the [brake, and] the car moved forward,” Carys said. “I think they were trying to stop, but they ended up hitting the gas and slamming into her, and it hit her from the side.”
As the car moved forward, Carol pushed the student down, saving his life as the car hit her pelvis instead of his head. The driver got out of the car and ran to check the damage, but Carol and Castillo were still pinned between both cars.
“She was stuck between both cars because the person got out of it,” Carys said. “Everyone [around yelled] to get back in the car and back up, so they finally backed up and then she fell to the ground.”
Carol received a fractured pelvis, sacrum, tibia, femur and a ruptured Medial Collateral Ligament from the impact; Castillo suffered from a concussion and burns.
“He was talking to the teacher, who’s recovering herself, and he told her that she was superhero number two after Jesus and that they are a team,” Meredith Castillo said according to WNCT-TV Greenville. “Together, the two of them, something good is going to come out of this.”
Carys first learned about the incident during her fourth period, Advanced Placement Calculus AB. She received a voice text from her father, but the words got mixed up, so all she read was along the lines of “Carol, car crash, hospital.”
“I then called him, and he explained everything, and I called my brother and told him what happened,” Carys said. “ I was angry, [when he explained everything] because I thought, ‘You're literally parked, are you just not paying attention?’”
When the gravity of the situation finally sank in, Carys became more alert and grateful for her mother’s life.
“[I was feeling] a lot of panic and sadness while thinking about what could be wrong,” Carys said. “I really didn't know she was alive or not, and I mean, that could have been the end.”
As Carol was rushed to the hospital to be treated, Carys and Holden waited at home for news. The Carson family had a lot of heartfelt support from their community, neighbors and friends checking on them and setting up meal trains.
Carol stayed in the hospital for many days and is currently still recovering at home.
“She's currently in a wheelchair–not permanently– just to get around, because she can't move her left leg [that is] in a really massive brace,” Carys said.
In response to the incident, district schools have become stricter with dismissal lines.
“All [Pitt County Schools] have been required to evaluate their car lines for safety and communicate changes with families,” Elmhurst Elementary School principal Megan Newman said.
As Carol continues her long journey to recovery, her family remains grateful for the outcome of the incident.
“The fact that she's still able to be here with us is amazing,” Carys said. “I'm so happy and just relieved.”
