The family of a young Mattituck man critically injured after being struck by a taxi in Montauk early Sunday wants to thank the community for a tremendous outpouring of love and prayers they say is carrying them through their darkest hours.
Benjamin Pileski, 20, is currently in critical condition in Stony Brook Hospital’s surgical intensive care unit after suffering a severe head trauma.
According to East Hampton Town Police Capt. Chris Anderson, the accident took place at 3:09 a.m. on Montauk Highway in Montauk Village, when a taxi traveling westbound struck two pedestrians, who were heading from the south side of the roadway. No charges were filed in the accident, Anderson said.
His brother Zach said tonight that although Benjamin is still not out of the woods, they have passed the 36-hour mark. The first 72 hours, doctors have told them, are critical. Doctors have said the situation is moving along as it should be, with no setbacks today, Zach said.
Although they are devastated by Benjamin’s accident, Zach said, ‘We’re trying to be strong.”
What’s helped the most, he added, is the outpouring of love their family has received. “It’s the support of this community that’s getting us through,” he said. “It’s just unbelievable. So many people coming to the hospital, friends my brother grew up with. I’m supposed to be a big, tough person but it’s bringing me to tears, every time they come through the door.”
People his family has never even met have contacted them to offer their support and love, Zach said.
“We all know he’s going to make it through this,” Zach said. “Benny’s the strongest kid. If anyone is going to get through this, it’s Ben. We have 100 percent confidence in him. I don’t know if it’s the brother situation — he’s my only baby brother — but ever since I found out, I’ve had this feeling that he’s going to get through this and everything is going to be just fine.”
Still, with Ben still fighting, Zach said his brother still needs the prayers and support of the community.
Ben is still in a medically induced coma and will be, at least for the next few days, he said. After that, “Hopefully, they’ll try to wake him, as long as his numbers seem to be leveling out,” his brother said.
Right now, Zach said, Ben is still experiencing spikes in the swelling in his brain but, for the most part, the numbers are going down into the normal range.
The steady stream of loving visitors has helped his brother, Zach believes. “Even though they say he’s in a coma and can’t hear, we believe he can. You can see the numbers lowering when people come in and talk to him. He’s thriving off the support of this community.”
While he tries to warn visitors that it might be difficult, at first, to see Ben so hurt, Zach said, “He can’t talk to you, but he can hear you. I tell them to talk to him. ‘Tell him you’re there, that you love him, that you’re supporting him. Tell him to just keep fighting.'”
Ben’s whole family wishes to express their deep and eternal gratitude to the many who have turned out to support them in their hour of great need. “Please, just keep praying,” Zach said.
Earlier today, Ben’s father Thomas Pileski described the unthinkable: “We made it through the first night. He still has swelling on the brain.”
Cutchogue resident Susan Tyler, whose son Justin Tyler was with Benjamin at the time of the accident, said both young men were crossing the street when they were struck by a taxi, which allegedly came around a bend and struck Benjamin first, then Justin.
According to Pileski, his son was walking near the Montauk traffic circle when he was struck, along with Tyler. Two other friends with them were unhurt, Pileski said.
Facing a parent’s worst nightmare, Pileski said, “It’s terrible. I’ve can’t even think. But I have to be strong for him.”
He added, “It’s going to be a long road, with ups and downs.” But, he said, “The doctor is optimistic because he’s young and very strong. That’s a very good plus.”
Benjamin, he said, has worked since he was 13 on David Steele’s farm in Mattituck, and currently, serves his nation proudly in the Navy.
“He just came home on leave, and this is what happens,” Pileski said.
When the phone rang at 3 a.m., Pileski said, “I couldn’t believe it. I don’t know what to do. When you’re not in control, you feel so helpless.”
Tyler’s son suffered a mild concussion, slight skull fracture, a small amount of blood on his brain, and scrapes. she said.
Benjamin has been home since Thursday on leave from the Navy; he was supposed to return today. Both he and Justin Tyler are Class of 2013 Mattituck High School graduates.
Benjamin’s mother, Gwen DeFriest, who now lives in Riverhead, said she was in Chicago this weekend when she received frantic messages on her cell phone after the accident and raced to the airport, where she boarded the first available American Airlines flight. Flight attendants were sympathetic and allowed her to disembark the plane first, she said.
She headed straight to her son’s bedside at Stony Brook. “It was indescribable. You never want to see your child helpless like that. It’s so out of your control,” she said.
Surrounded by love and prayers, DeFriest said the community’s support helps immeasurably. “There are people who knew my dad and my great-grandfather; they farmed together and went to church together. It’s literally family.”
Another woman, whose son went through boot camp with hers, called to let Navy officials know about the accident, so Benjamin wouldn’t be listed as AWOL. “There are people all over the country praying — the power of prayer,” she said.
DeFriest said Facebook has helped unite all those who love her son in prayer and support.
Reflecting on her son, Defriest said he’s a “ham” and a “cutup. He’s got crinkly eyes when he smiles and a huge grin. Everyone loves him. Even when he wouldn’t follow directions in school, the teachers would call, but they’d say, ‘But we all love him. He’s a great kid.’”
Today, she said, “he’s doing such great things with the Navy.”
The next 72 hours, DeFriest agreed, are the most important. “He’s weathered storms. Right now, it’s prayers, just prayers. We need the prayers to get his eyes open. And then we’ll deal with what comes after.”
Friends have turned to social media to spread the word and send out prayer requests for Benjamin. A Facebook group, Kait’s Angels, formed when another Mattituck High School graduate, Kaitlyn Doorhy, lost her life tragically after being struck by a car while away at college in August, rallied to support Ben.
“Calling all angels,” a post written Sunday read. “Early this morning, one of Mattituck’s own, Ben Pileski, was struck by a car in Montauk and is in critical condition. It’s a waiting game at this point and he and his family are in need of all your angel prayers and positive energy. Kait, please watch over this young man and guide him back to us.”
