Valley man, Adam Pepiton, survives being shot in the head

PHOENIX - On September 5, 2010, Adam Pepiton, 20, was leaving a barbecue at a friend’s house.

Seconds later, Adam was hit by a stray bullet from a drive-by shooting. The .45 caliber bullet entered the left side of his skull, traveled through his brain and was lodged in the right side of his skull.

“It is not something you want anybody, not even your worst enemy to have to experience that kind of a phone call,” explained Adam’s mother Tara Pepiton.

Adam was rushed to the Barrow Neurological Institute to have emergency surgery that would remove the left side of his skull. Doctors told Adam’s parents that there was less than a one percent chance of him surviving.

“I knew he would survive,” said Tara.

The surgery was a success and Adam’s condition has been improving over the last two years. He has been forced to relearn many basic skills such as communication.

“The way I’m talking now is a lot better than two years ago. It’d take me a minute to come up with some of the words I’m saying now,” said Adam.

Adam and his family hopes that he continues to make progress for years to come, but they know it is a slow recovery process.