Crushed by a skid steer, this 9-year-old refused to quit

Fox - 5 Atlanta
13 followers
Nov 12, 2026
Welcome back. Well, for one active nine-year-old boy,
this year looked a lot different from the
last. A terrifying accident left him
with a severely injured leg and in a wheelchair.
And now one year later, he's back on his feet
and being recognized as a champion for his
remarkable recovery and working to help others.
Good Days Kim Loeffler has the story.
For Banks-Holbert, sports are a big part of his life.
But just one year ago,
he was facing the possibility of never playing again.
It was hard getting out of my bed when I woke up
because I would have to literally just jump
on one foot to get to my walker.
It was October 27th of last year
when Banks was climbing into a skid steer
with his dad to carve trails in the woods for their four-wheelers.
The e-brake wasn't on yet. He ended up climbing in, hit the lever.
And the bucket came up and actually crushed his leg.
The accident broke his femur and left him with a severe open wound.
Banks was rushed to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta,
where doctors worked to save his leg.
But even in the hospital, Banks had one thing on his mind.
His whole goal was to get out
and still go trick-or-treating with his friends for Halloween.
It's Halloween.
And so he's asking every nurse and doctor that he could find,
like, when can I get out of here?
Because I have things to do. I've got
to go trick-or-treating with my friends.
And he got his wish
Banks was discharged on Halloween
and made it to a few houses in his wheelchair.
The months that followed were filled
with more surgeries and physical therapy.
But he still wanted to be involved in the sports he loved.
He ended up going to almost every single game and sitting
on the sidelines to cheer on his team, even though he couldn't play.
Then, just months after the accident, Banks made it back
on the basketball court, just in time for the playoffs.
And after spending so much time relying on a walker,
being able to move around on his own again meant everything.
I just was more happy and felt more free.
I've been sitting in my bed all day and now his strength
and determination are being recognized.
Banks was named one of Children's Healthcare
of Atlanta's Cape Day champions,
an honor celebrating his courage throughout his recovery.
And Banks also wants to encourage other children facing
their own medical challenges.
That even played a role in his Halloween costume this year.
Banks dressed as Michael Jackson,
inspired by the singer's visits to children in the hospital.
When he was brainstorming on what he could do to make
a difference in the world, that was like his thing.
He was like, I want to be like Michael and go back
to children's health care and encourage all the kids to keep going.
And after a year of fighting to get back on his feet,
he has a message for other kids going through tough times.
Sometimes you can face challenges and sometimes...
Like it will get better.
A young boy proving that even the
toughest challenges can be overcome.
Kim Luffler for Good Day Atlanta.
