Family members said 17-year-old Trae Swader was one of three Rutherford County students seriously hurt in a car crash. Two other teenagers did not survive the wreck.
The crash happened on Dilton Mankin Road near the intersection of Wilson Overall Road around 3:30 a.m. Officials have not released the names of all five teenagers involved.
On Sunday, friends and family members of Swader returned to the crash site to search for his cell phone and keys, which were lost in the wreck. They said Swader has been at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and was in surgery that morning.
Family members said the impact of the crash broke Swader's back. They were unsure what his injuries might look like longterm.
A vigil has been planned in honor of all five teens at Blackman High School on Sunday from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.
