Danny (16) is our oldest boy. He went on a High Adventure with the Boy Scouts this week. One of the activities was at the Sundance Ski Resort. In the summer, they haul people and their bikes to the top of the mountain on the ski lift so they can ride down.
I was in an important meeting when my cell phone rang. When I saw that it was Kathy, I silenced my phone and ignored the call. A moment later, it rang again so I silenced it once more. Just after that, it rang a third time. At that point, I interrupted my guest and told him that I better take the call because it could be an emergency.
Kathy was so upset that she could hardly speak. When she managed to say that Danny was hurt, I apologized to my guest and excused myself from the meeting. Kathy dropped off the other kids at the office with my employees and picked me up.
For the next 30 minutes, we called and called as we drove but couldn't reach anyone to find out more information. It was the longest 30 minutes of our lives! We could only imagine the worst. We prayed and asked God to bless our son. We finally got ahold of the Scout Master. He told us that Danny fell about 30 feet and landed on his butt. They weren't sure how extensive his injuries were but they suspected he may have broken his pelvis and/or back.
When we finally arrived at the hospital, the nurse told us that Danny was in getting a CAT Scan and that it would be 15 or 20 minutes before we could see him. We asked to see the x-rays. The nurse said she would get them but she never did. While we waited for Danny and for any kind of test result, my sister and her son showed up. Then, my parents showed up. A few minutes later, my other sister showed up and then her husband and one of their sons arrived. My employee came to the hospital too. The room filled up pretty fast.
We were so happy when they finally wheeled Danny into the room. Kathy put on a brave face to show support and encouragement. The morphine that they had given him had eased the pain quite a bit. As we waited for the test results, he explained what happened.
Apparently, half-way up the slope, the lift comes to a point where skiers can get off. The first time up the slope, Danny noticed a hat on the ground that someone had dropped. So, the second time up, he got the great idea of jumping off the lift, running and grabbing the hat, and then jumping back on again.
He jumped on, threw his leg over the seat, and told the boy with him to grab the hat. But, those ski lift benches rock and swing so much that it tilted and dumped him out. He had trouble pulling himself up again because every time he lifted himself, the seat would tilt forward and at 6'1" and 240 pounds, Danny's a big boy. The smaller boy with him pulled and pulled and Danny tried to pull himself up but he just couldn't get into the seat. He finally decided to just hang on until the lift reached the top.
However, after 10 or 15 minutes, his hands were so sweaty and slippery and he was so tired that he just couldn't hold on any more. He hollered to his buddy and said "I can't hang on any longer!" They started to panic. Just at that moment, the ski lift stopped with a jolt. We think the lift operator must have seen what was going on and hit the brakes. The jolt was the last straw. Danny lost his grip and fell about 30 feet.
The highest platform at the pool at Lava Hot Springs where we went camping last summer is about 30 feet. I get weak in the knees when I get to the top and can barely muster the courage to jump into the water. I can't imagine falling that same distance onto a rocky mountain side.
Fortunately, he landed on a relatively flat rock and hit the ground feet first. His knees buckled instantly and then he hit his butt. He bounced back up in the air and landed about 5 feet forward. He said everything went numb. After reaching the top, the scouts jumped on their bikes and raced down the hill to where he was. And, emergency personnel from the ski resort rushed up from the lodge. They strapped him to a board to prevent spinal injury and then mounted him on a sled. They tied a rope to the sled and lowered him down the hillside. He said it was a very bumpy ride.
The paramedics told the scout leaders they were going to take him to the nearest hospital. But, after they left, they radioed back and told the scout leaders at the lodge that Danny went into shock and his injuries seemed serious enough to drive a little farther to a different hospital that was better equipped for situations like this.
As Priesthood holders in our church, my Dad and I laid our hands on his head and gave him a blessing. The emotions were so intense that I could hardly speak. I almost broke down crying but then, a feeling of peace came over me. In the blessing, I felt inspired to say a number of things. Among other things, I reminded Danny that everything happens for a reason and that God has a plan for us. Sometimes we need to taste the bitter to know the sweet. I told him that although it didn't seem like it, ultimately, this experience would be beneficial for him. I told him that if he endured this trial with patience and faith that he would be better for it and that he would have a greater capacity to show empathy and love to those who are suffering. I pointed out that a great miracle had happened already because he could have been hurt far worse by a fall from that distance. I exhorted him to be diligent about following the doctor's advice. And, finally, I promised him that his injuries would be minimal and that he would make a full recovery in a short time.
The doctor came in just after that with the test results. He told us that his back was broken. He pulled up the CAT Scan images on the computer and showed us the three vertebrae that were fractured. Fortunately, they were compression fractures that blew out the back part of the vertebrae pretty good but didn't seem to damage the spinal column. As far as vertebrae fractures go, this kind was about the best you could hope for. He said they didn't need to do surgery and that they were going to put him in a brace. He said that he will have pain and discomfort for about three or four weeks and then he should start feeling much better. He said that he needs to take it easy for the next three months but that he should make a full recovery. He said that after the three months, he can play football and soccer and anything that he wants to.
Feeling so relieved at the news, I asked the doctor how soon until Danny could milk the goat again. Danny answered for him and said "I'm pretty sure it will take the full three months before I can do that Dad." I said "Oh boy...you're going to milk this for all it's worth, aren't you?" We chuckled at the pun.
The only trick now was to manage the pain. We put the brace on, helped him to the bathroom, and then, shortly after that, loaded him up in the car very carefully and came home. Apparently, the boy who was with him on the ski lift was pretty upset. He was crying over the whole incident. Danny called him from the car and told him he was going to be fine. He apologized for doing such a stupid thing and he told him not to feel bad. He said "I weigh three times what you do...there's no way you could have pulled me up!" Then he added "do you still have my hat?" I'm glad he still has his sense of humor!
In retrospect, we are amazed by what has happened. Obviously, things could have been so much worse. It was truly a miracle that he landed feet first and that he didn't break a leg or an ankle or two. Dad said that he fell on his guardian angel. I said that that guardian angel got his wings for doing such a miraculous thing and it was a good thing too because after having Danny land on him, he wasn't going to be walking again soon.
I told my employee and nephew, Andy, that the strange thing is that I was woken up last night by a dream I had in which I fell or jumped from the 5th floor of a hotel room. I survived it because I landed in the swimming pool below but I suffered serious injuries because the water was only 5 feet deep. I don't know what it all means or if it means anything at all...just that it seemed like a strange coincidence. He said that he was also woken up last night because he had a dream that he was attacked by a bear. I don't know what that means either but it worried me because my daughter is at girl's camp this week too and they're camping up in the mountains...in bear country! I was just about to drive up there to go get my baby! :)
Hopefully, after reading this post, you'll hug your kids a little tighter or call them on the phone and tell them how much you love them because sometimes you never know when tragedy will strike. And, perhaps, after reading this, you will realize that whatever problems, challenges, or difficulties you are facing now, things could be worse. I hope each of us will kneel down tonight and thank our Heavenly Father for the miracles and blessings in our lives. I know I will! God Bless!
