![Lennox Watson, 11, is recovering in the Royal Children's Hospital after he was hit by a car in Warrnambool on Friday. Picture supplied Lennox Watson, 11, is recovering in the Royal Children's Hospital after he was hit by a car in Warrnambool on Friday. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/379mw9XPZ7UFRqmwjWhGKkr/9ffe1a2d-7cc9-4175-801c-864a364b6061.jpg/r0_0_1200_1600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
An 11-year-old Warrnambool boy injured when he was hit by a car has a message for the driver: "it's not your fault".
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Lennox Watson was waiting to be picked up after spending time with some friends near the off-leash dog park in Koroit Street on Friday, June 21.
He was excited because his mate was going to have a sleepover at his house for the first time.
Lennox's father Rohan asked his mother to pick up his son and two friends, but mistakenly told her the wrong location.
His son rang him, wondering where she was and Mr Watson, who was nearby, decided to pick up the three boys.
Mr Watson said there was some confusion about the pick-up point and when he finally spotted Lennox and his friend, he was in a turning lane.
He tried to indicate with his hands to Lennox to stay put, but his son mistakenly took this as telling him to come to the car.
Mr Watson said his son then panicked and ran into the path of a car.
He said there was nothing the driver could have done.
The incident occurred on the corner of McMeekin Road and Giffen Street about 5.45pm.
Mr Watson became emotional when recounting the moment he watched his son get thrown a distance of between 10 and 20 metres.
He immediately ran to his son's side.
"I thought I had lost my boy," Mr Watson said.
"I must have put the car in neutral and I leapt out of the car and sprinted over to him.
"He was on the gutter and he was groaning."
Mr Watson said a number of people at the scene sprung into action.
He called the ambulance but someone took over the call when he was unable to provide the details required due to the shock.
Mr Watson said he laid down beside his son and a woman at the scene was holding his head.
"He was responsive, he knew who I was and what had happened," he said.
Lennox was rushed to the airport for a flight on the HEMS4 air ambulance.
However, before the two boarded, a scan revealed an airpocket in Lennox's lung.
"His blood pressure dropped due to a punctured lung so they had to put a tube in to release the airpocket," Mr Watson said.
Lennox was rushed to the Royal Children's Hospital, where it was found he has a broken pelvis, seven broken ribs on his left side, a lacerated spleen and a small bleed on his brain.
He also has abrasions over most of his body.
Despite these injuries and what is expected to be a long recovery, Mr Watson said his son was lucky to be alive.
"He's one tough boy," Mr Watson said.
On Monday, June 24, Lennox had a physiotherapy session and was able to get out of bed and into a wheelchair.
His father is staying in Melbourne while his mother Megan Watson has been at his bedside.
She received the call every mother has nightmares about after the accident.
Mr Watson said his son will miss playing soccer at Port Fairy and hanging out with friends.
Lennox's mother has set up a GoFundMe to help cover the costs associated with Lennox's recovery and to ensure Mr Watson, who runs a personal training business, can remain by his side.
Mr Watson said he and Lennox wanted to reach out to the driver.
"He would be feeling exactly what I'm feeling - the flashbacks, the thinking 'it was my fault'," Mr Watson said.
"But if he's blaming himself in any way, I want to reach out and tell him it wasn't his fault.
"I've had all this support and he's probably at home feeling how I do without any support."
Mr Watson said he would be eternally grateful to everyone who had offered support to Lennox, who is looking forward to getting home.
"I'd like to thank everyone - words can't even begin to describe how grateful I am," he said.
Victoria Police are aware of the incident.