COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) – On March 10, the lives of two Columbus men and their families were turned upside down. This, following a car accident on the promenade of the Veterans.

In a News Leader 9 exclusive, our Ashlee Williams spoke with a restaurant owner involved in the horrific accident who also brought the community together in new ways.

Thursday was the first day Cerrone’s Pizza owner Leo DiCesaris set foot in his business since the car crash. He is recovering from several injuries, but he said it feels good to finally be back.

“I’m really grateful that we’re both still alive and doing well,” DiCesaris said.

Just over a month ago, a car crash on Veterans Parkway occurred as Columbus native Leo DiCesaris tried to break into his Cerrone business’ Brick Oven pizzeria.

“One afternoon, the routine… and I never got here because of a car accident,” he told News Leader 9. “It was quite tragic.”

DiCesaris spent a month in a hospital and rehabilitation center, recovering from multiple broken ribs, a shattered femur and a hole in his lung. , even forming a bond with the driver of the other car, Columbus native Kyle Carter.

“We have a lot of mutual friends that I discovered through Facebook,” DiCesaris said. “When I was finally well enough to pick up the phone, I saw a lot of my friends saying, ‘Pray for Kyle. Pray for Leo.’ And I was like ‘Oh, apparently there’s a huge network.’

DiCesaris credits much of his recovery to the community and multiple churches standing up for one purpose: healing and life.

“It was just amazing, and it came from all churches, not just my home church, and so many people. Truly as traumatic as this event was, there was so much uplifting through so many avenues that really kept me strong and encouraged. I have excellent workers.

News Leader 9 spoke to the other victim of that car crash, Kyle Carter, who told us he was still recovering and “Thank you for everyone’s prayers, and our God It’s incredible”.

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