NEW ORLEANS — A New Orleans man has defied the odds after a devastating road accident left him fighting for his life with horrific injuries.
WWL Louisiana's Eleanor Tabone first spoke with Jaquain Paul's mother after the accident, now, 13 months later Jaquain is speaking out for the first time, calling for justice which he says he's been robbed of.
Jaquain Paul is a man who's endured a lifetime's worth of pain in just a year. He said, "Even to today I still can't run my body doesn't allow me to make the form of running, it's really hard to walk long distances because my body doesn't allow me to."
The 28-year-old sits here today, after laying in a hospital bed for four months, he said, "Waking up out of my coma I forgot how to walk, something I was doing for 27 years I forgot how to do."
According to NOPD at around 11 a.m. on June 2, 2023, Jaquain Paul was hit by a vehicle while on his motorcycle at the intersection of Friedrichs Avenue and Wisner Blvd. He was struck with such force his abdomen was torn open.
"I had to undergo many abdominal surgeries, arm surgeries, wrist surgeries, pelvic surgeries." He had around 200 surgeries in the last year. His mother Javonne Paul has been by her child's side for all of them, she says he was having three to four surgeries a week.
Javonne Paul said, "His last surgery was to close up his abdominal cavity, which was a major surgery, because of the accident, which ripped away all of his muscles that covered up all of his intestines."
A year ago, Eleanor Tabone met Javonne Paul outside UMC, while her son was inside fighting for his life. A year on this devoted mother, continues to be her son's keeper, saying, "When I sit back and I see him, I see him going through all the different emotions... That's concerning to me, watching your child go through all these different emotions."
Jaquain Paul focused on his recovery, but the unsettling thought that the driver who did this might still be on the road darkened his thoughts. He says that although police arrived, the unresolved case remains a disheartening outcome. He said, "It's like the Batman signal being in the sky, unfortunately, we don't have Batman but the NOPD signal was in the sky and they didn't come to my aid."
NOPD said they are, "actively investigating this hit-and-run case, and it remains open until solved. While we have attempted to speak with a key witness, they have not been cooperative. Investigators are now collaborating with Crimestoppers to encourage others to come forward with information. Despite the lack of video surveillance, our team has continued to work diligently on this case and will be meeting with the victim’s family again today."
Children never outgrow the need for their mother's comfort, yet, as Javonne offers Jaquain that strength, mothers like her silently bear the burden of being their child's rock. She said, "It's hard, it's hard because you're being strong but yet weak... In those moments, you're pushing forward, you're pressing, all you can do is stand firm."
She's calling on the community to help bring her family justice, telling WWL Louisiana, "To the person who hit my son, I believe you need to come forward. Or if someone knows the person who hit my son, they need to turn them in."
While Jaquain's physical scars may never heal, the pair say the scars of injustice will finally heal when they walk into a courtroom.
With the case still unsolved, the family is pleading with anyone who has information to come forward. If you know something, that could help investigators, you're urged to call Crimestoppers.