A CO Tyrone man has told of how his son is lucky to be alive following a crash outside the family hardware store, which left him and singer Malachi Cush badly injured.
Sam Trotter said among the injuries his son sustained was a smashed elbow after a car mounted the pavement in Dungannon and struck him and Mr Cush.
The two men had been standing at Mr Cush's car after the singer had bought gardening equipment in SA Trotter's family hardware store on Scotch Street when the collision happened on Tuesday at around 10.30am.
Mr Trotter said his son suffered head and shoulder injuries and had to undergo an operation to mend his elbow.
"He had a big operation on Wednesday on his elbow - the surgery lasted for four hours and three minutes," he told The Belfast Telegraph.
"His elbow was smashed completely.
"The surgeon, a fantastic surgeon from the Craigavon Area Hospital, worked at it for all that time, and then he (Mr Trotter) was in recovery for another four hours.
"He now has a plaster cast from his wrist right up to his shoulder.
"He had quite a few gashes to his head and shoulders and has stitches everywhere. The blood was just everywhere."
Mr Trotter added: "It really was a shocking thing to have happened. We are all just so glad that he is okay."
Mr Cush (38) from Donaghmore was last night "recovering well" after sustaining injuries to his lower legs and head in the crash.
In a statement on his Facebook page, it said: "Sincere thanks to everyone for their messages, phone calls and prayers for Malachi today." It added
"Thank God, Malachi is now recovering well and will be singing again in no time."
Police have appealed for witnesses.
