Those waiting anxiously for news of the latest condition of Matthew Golden, 5, got extraordinary news Friday, he breathed unaided after being removed from his ventilator.

Golden, son of Jerry and Vicki Golden, was severely injured in an automobile accident on Dec. 28 on Ala. Highway 10 W.

He was airlifted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham that same day with serious head trauma.

In the month since the accident, the Golden family has maintained a vigil by their son’s side, while people worldwide prayed for him and the family.

For at least two weeks, according to the Matthew Golden website, the family have worried and prayed over his being removed from the ventilator.

Various setbacks kept moving the procedure back until it was completed on Thursday.

&uot;He had surgery yesterday (Thursday) for a tracheotomy and gastrostomy,&uot; the Goldens posted Friday.

&uot;They told us the surgery would probably take between two to three hours.

It only took one hour and 15 minutes start to finish.&uot;

The Goldens said both physicians were extremely pleased with the way the surgery went.

&uot;The physicians took him off the ventilator this morning (Friday) around 10 a.m. and he has been breathing on his own for almost five hours now,&uot; the Goldens wrote. &uot;He is breathing around 25 breaths a minute on 30 percent humidified oxygen.&uot;

The Goldens said humans normally breathe 21 percent oxygen on room air.

If Matthew stays off the ventilator, he will possibly move to a private room as early as next Wednesday.

&uot;We also want to praise God that Matthew doesn’t appear to have any infections and that his subgalial shunt is continuing to work,&uot; they said.

&uot;God is so good and He has answered so many of all of our prayers and we are trusting Him to continue to provide that 100 percent recovery for Matthew.&uot;

The Goldens expressed their thanks again for those praying faithfully for them and their son.

For those with Internet access, keep a check on Matthew’s progress by following the link either from www.stablerclinic.com or www.greenvilleadvocate.com.

To date, Matthew’s website, that Robert Householder of Greenlynk Technologies, Inc. set up, has received just over 64,000 hits.