Hadley Denison Accident: Teen in Critical Condition After Grain Truck Crash in St. Thomas, ON

ST. THOMAS, ON — A local family is holding onto hope after their daughter, Hadley Denison, a Grade 12 student at Parkside Collegiate Institute, was critically injured in a serious collision involving a grain truck on November 14, 2025, just east of St. Thomas, Ontario.

Hadley was a passenger in a vehicle driven by her best friend when their car collided with a grain truck at the intersection of Quaker Road and Southdale Line. The severity of the crash required immediate medical intervention. Initially, the plan was to transport Hadley to the trauma centre at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). However, due to her critical condition, she was first taken to St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital for emergency surgery.

Heather and Jeff Denison, Hadley’s parents, described the sequence of events as miraculous. “We’re holding on a glimmer of hope,” said Heather Denison. She explained that the timely presence of two surgeons, an anesthetist, and an available operating room played a key role in saving her daughter’s life.

Hadley had lost a significant amount of blood and received 17 units of red blood cells, a number Heather described as likely setting a record. Emergency surgeons removed her spleen, and her liver sustained a grade-four fracture, injuries that were ultimately life-saving.

The teenager also suffered massive head trauma, including skull fractures and severe brain swelling. The family faced difficult decisions in the operating room. “We were given the option of pulling the plug,” said Jeff Denison. Heather added, “Yeah, we could do nothing, and she would die, or have surgery and still have an 80 per cent chance of dying in the O.R.”

After stabilization, Hadley was transported to LHSC in London, Ontario, where she underwent further neurosurgery. Surgeons performed a procedure to remove the front of her skull, and Heather reports that her daughter is showing remarkable resilience. “She is holding her own and fighting more than they can believe,” Heather said.

The Denison family expressed gratitude for the care their daughter received, noting the extraordinary support from both St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital and LHSC staff. “The role reversal is surreal,” said Heather, a pediatric oncology charge nurse at LHSC. “I’m blown away by the level of care and compassion that we have received.”

As of now, Hadley remains in critical but stable condition, with doctors monitoring her progress closely. The family remains hopeful that she will continue to improve as she recovers from her life-threatening injuries.