Injured flagperson Sam Fetherston out of coma a week after Spalding crash

Sam Fetherston, the flag person who was seriously injured in a crash near Spalding, Sask., May 3, is out of a medically induced coma and set to continue his recovery closer to home, in B.C.

Fetherston spoke to CBC News Monday at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, where he has been since the crash in which three teenagers from Carrot River, Sask., died. Private memorials were scheduled for Monday.

"I felt like I had been kidnapped," Fetherston said. "I didn't know what was going on and I felt like ... all eyes were on me and everyone was asking me all of these questions and I had no idea why."

Fetherston, 21, was working as a flag person when the crash happened. According to RCMP, two vehicles were stopped at the construction zone when a semi-trailer crashed into one of the vehicles. Three teens in that car died at the scene. According to RCMP, Fetherston was hurt when the teen's vehicle was pushed into a truck that struck the flag person.

He was airlifted to Saskatoon in critical condition.

Fetherston, who suffered a concussion and several broken bones, said he is looking forward to returning home to B.C. He is from Comox.

"That's the main reason why I really pushed to get out of this hospital," he said. "I wanted to be closer to family."

Fetherston is also expecting to have surgery, in B.C., as part of his recovery.