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CHICKASAW COUNTY, Iowa -- The mother of an eight-year-old is speaking out after the boy was hit by a stray bullet at an apple orchard last week.

Kaden Noble is a fun-loving, soccer playing, third grader with a smile that lights up the room. But for his mother, Krystle Nicholson, that all came to a standstill after the incident that left her son injured, according to KWWL's Elizabeth Amanieh.

"The bullet ricocheted from his knee to his chest and out through his back," said Nicholson.

Their day of family fun at the apple orchard flipped their lives upside down. Kaden was airlifted to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where his mom has been with him every step of the way, from the moment he underwent emergency exploratory surgery.

"He is doing good, he has a very long recovery, and it's going to be a very slow process for him to get back to his normal self," she said.

it's a recovery that will be more than just physical. Kaden and his sister were both sitting in the wagon when he was shot. Nicholson says if that bullet would've hit an inch to the right, it would've struck both of her children.

"I mean, it upsets you and tears you up, but just the scary part is almost losing both of them at the same time and it's hard to explain. It's hard to explain any emotion. I mean you're sad, you're mad, you're everything. Your're numb. Every emotion possible."

Nicholson says moving forward, her focus is on her son.

"I mean this whole thing has changed our lives completely forever. Our lives are never going to be the same," she said.

Both parents have missed work to stay by the boy's side. The orchard owner started a GoFundMe account to help with medical bills.