An Ohio father of two was “internally decapitated” — and just one millimeter away from total paralysis — in a freak accident at a state park in March.
Philip Pohle, 32, was manning a front loader while clearing trees at Hocking Hills State Park when one tree slid backwards in the bucket — and fell right on top of him.
His foot was still stuck on the gas, which gradually pushed a tree branch against his neck. Then, the branch started to tilt his head upwards, causing his spine to separate from his skull — known as internal decapitation, WBNS reported.
“If [the loader] didn’t stop, it probably would’ve ripped my head off,” Pohle told the outlet.
Pohle recalled hearing a “pop or a crack,” but didn’t sustain a single broken bone.
Resource officers monitoring the cleanup thankfully had a trauma kit that included a neck brace in their vehicle. The brace alone kept Pohle’s neck from moving any more than it already had, ultimately keeping him alive whie responders used a chainsaw to cut away the remaining debris.
Pohle said his mind didn’t stray from his family throughout the harrowing ordeal, even as his consciousness waned.
“I started thinking of my children because it was really nice being a dad. I just thought how much I was going to miss them, miss my babies,” he tearfully recounted.
Pohle was intubated at the scene and rushed to a hospital, where he is still making a slow but miraculous recovery.
Dr. Victor Awuor, Pohle’s surgeon, told the outlet that the young dad had a 9 millimeter gap between his spine and skull when he arrived at the hospital — putting him just 1 millimeter away from severing his spinal cord.
Surgeons used plates, screws and rods to stabilize Pohle’s skull to his spine.
While internal decapitation accidents aren’t necessarily rare, half of those who suffer one die instantly. The other half sustain serious, if not total, paralysis, Awuor said.
Pohle, however, is up and walking just one month after his brush with death.
Even so, the accident has given him a new perspective on life that he seeks to impart to others.
“Love deeply and have a grace with people. Be patient, be kind, tomorrow is not guaranteed,” he advised.
A GoFundMe organized by Pohle’s family friend reached its $15,000 halfway point as of Thursday evening.
