“I cheated death,” says Dalton DeLong, a 17-year-old high school student who survived a head-on crash with a drunk driver that killed his younger brother and uncle. Multiple fractures, skin grafts and surgeries haven’t diminished Dalton’s drive to succeed and thrive.

After the tragedy, Dalton’s friends, team mates and the community rallied behind the teen his grandmother called “their miracle.” A little more than a year after the crash, he is back to playing football for the Eldon Mustangs.

Family and home have played a big role in Dalton’s recovery. Rather than move from the hospital to a rehab facility, Dalton’s mother, 36-year-old Tiffany Williams, insisted that he come home to mend, surrounded by the love and support of his family.

Dalton’s house is near capacity: two grandparents, mom, stepfather, brother, sister, six dogs and ten cats.