FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- The doctors and families of two teens who lost their legs as a result of a car crash are praising them for their courage and praised their friends for their quick action.

Tyler Carron and Nikko Landeros, both 17, lost their legs after a Jan. 15 accident, which occurred while they were attempting to change a tire on a dark rural road near their school.

Doctors said they both had one leg severed at the scene, and were saved by belts that their friends used as tourniquets to slow the blood loss.

"The boys were at threat of having enough blood loss that they would go into cardiac arrest before they got to the hospital. So these boys did a phenomenal job. I'm not sure how they learned about tourniquets, but I guess if there's any benefit of television these days, and if there's anything positive out of Iraq, maybe it's that they learned about tourniquets," said Denver Health's chief of trauma surgery, Dr. Ernest "Gene" Moore.

"These blood vessels at that level are nearly the size of your small finger. They are enormous. And of course, the volume of blood that would pour out of those vessels is astounding in a short time period. So that clearly saved their lives," he said.

Tyler is in fair condition and Landeros is in serious condition at Denver Health Hospital. Nikko has an infection in his lungs and both have open wounds that still need to be sealed with skin grafts, their doctors said.

In a videotaped message made in his hospital room, Tyler is seen sitting in wheelchair with his thighs wrapped. He is surrounded by posters that say "Get Well Soon."

"I know Nikko would like to be here to but unfortunately, he has surgery. But he's doing well," Tyler said. "We just want to thank everyone who's donated and everyone who has kept us in their thoughts and prayers. And we really appreciate it. And we'll be outta here soon."

Tyler had one leg amputated above the knee and one at the knee and Landeros' legs were both amputated above the knee, doctors said.

Tyler initially was in more serious condition after the accident, but he has been in mostly good spirits since being taken off mechanical ventilation, said orthopedic surgeon Dr. Philip Stahel.

He is able to move around in a wheelchair and is upbeat and communicative, Stahel said.

"He looks at it as a new challenge in his life that he will have to fight for and cope with," Stahel said.

He said after the crash, both boys initially had their legs preserved but there was no blood flow to the legs so the doctors made a life or limb decision.

"We had to sacrifice their legs basically to save their lives," Stahel said.

Doctors initially reinstituted arterial flow to Nikko's left leg, but it had to be amputated when there was no blood flow to his muscle, Moore said.

Their families talked for the first time to the public on Friday, thanking the community for their spiritual and financial support, which they say has been overwhelming.

"Words cannot convey how much this has meant to us. Please continue to keep our sons in your thoughts and prayers," said Lori Moriarty, Tyler's aunt, speaking on behalf of both families. "We are more than thankful. Thankful just doesn't cut it."

She said both boys are anxious to return to school and to their friends, and are staying strong, helping their families cope with the tragedy.

"All I can say is both boys are very, very strong and the most courageous boys I have ever met. Because again, we do know that their injuries are very, very serious. And they have both fought and been so strong and so courageous through this whole thing. We just can't say enough about how wonderful they are," Moriarty said. "We will never ever be able to compare them to any of us ever again because they have so much courage and so much strength from their inner selves to get through this."

Both teens will have operations for the next week or so but doctors believe they will be walking on prostheses, without crutches, in several months.

Tyler and Nikko are both competitive wrestlers and doctors credit their quick recovery in part because they are in peak physical condition. Doctors said the teens will undergo rehabilitation together and that their competitive drive may help speed up the process.

Doctors said the support of their family and the community is crucial to their recovery.

The two Berthoud High School teens were standing behind an Isuzu Trooper, removing a tire from rear of the vehicle when a second vehicle driven by a 17-year-old girl from Berthoud High School rammed into them, pinning them between the two vehicles.

The Larimer County District Attorney will decide what charges, if any, will be filed against the 17-year-old girl who ran into them.

The accident happened at about 11:30 p.m. on County Road 17, and the Trooper was stopped partially in the traffic lane because snowdrifts blocked it from pulling completely off the roadway.

The female driver has not been identified, and the Colorado State Patrol has been investigating the circumstances of the accident since then. The results of that investigation will be turned over to the district attorney's office on Monday.

Master Trooper Ron Watkins wouldn't say what charges investigators might recommend, but the most likely charges would be two counts of careless driving causing serious bodily injury, a misdemeanor, he said.

The girl accused of causing the accident has returned to school.

Additional Information:

A radio station out of Craig and Moffat County high school wrestlers are kicking off a fundraiser for Tyler and Nikko. They are encouraging all high school wrestling programs in Colorado to collect money at their meets and tournaments for the Berthoud teens. For more, go to BerthoudCares.com.
Money is also being collected for the "Tyler Carron and Nikko Landeros Fund" by Centennial Bank of the West. Donations may be deposited at any branch or mailed to Bank of the West, 1610 Hover St., Longmont, 80501. Deposits can also be made at the Berthoud branch located at 415 Mountain Ave. 80513.