Xavier Cunningham is lucky to be alive after the terrifying incident.
A 10-year-old boy is being hailed a medical marvel after miraculously surviving being impaled in the head by a barbecue skewer.
The terrifying incident occurred Saturday as Xavier Cunningham was playing with friends in his Harrisonville, Missouri, backyard. He was in a tree house and fell out to the ground when he was attacked by yellow jackets, landing on top of the skewer.
His mother heard his screams and ran outside to find the metal rod sticking out of his head.
"I opened my eyes ... and just screamed my head off!" Xavier's mom, Gabrielle, told Inside Edition.
She rushed him to the ER, fearing the worst.
"He went, 'I love you' — and he said, 'The last words I'm ever gonna say on this earth are I love you, Mom.'"
Fortunately those weren't Xavier's last words. Though the skewer pierced his face, it somehow missed all his vital organs.
"The X-ray is unbelievable," said Dr. Koji Ebersole, who removed the offending implement. "It shows you how close it is to the carotid artery — the main artery to the brain. ... That's probably a millimeter [away]."
Video captured Xavier's delicate surgery, showing how carefully doctors handled the skewer as they slowly pulled it out. After the surgery, Xavier was even given the skewer to keep as a souvenir.
Five days later, Xavier is doing well. He showed Inside Edition the wound, which is just covered by a small Band-Aid.
Doctors said he will make a full recovery.
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