For Chad, April 28, 2024, was much like any other day. At home with his wife, Pam, and daughter, Sabrina, the family worked in the garden. Until Chad needed something from the loft of their shed, requiring him to climb a 12-foot ladder.
Chad was no stranger to climbing ladders — he’d worked at a telephone company for more than 20 years. Only this time, as Chad transitioned to the second-level storage area, the ladder kicked out from under him. He fell backward, headfirst onto the ladder as it landed on the ground.
“It happened so quick,” he says. “I remember seeing the ceiling go by and then the tools on the wall, and a weightless feeling, [but] not the good kind of weightlessness.”
Top-Notch Trauma Care
In the fall, Chad broke his collarbone, shoulder blade, and nine ribs, and suffered a gash on his head. But unbeknownst to him, the blunt force trauma also caused his lungs to start to collapse.
Chad doesn’t remember much of the ambulance ride to UPMC Williamsport, a Level II Trauma Center, or his time in the emergency department (ED). But one moment stuck with him — and changed his entire perspective. As the Trauma team prepared to insert a chest tube, someone gently touched his cheek and said, “Don’t worry, we got you, Chad.”
A Long Road to Recovery
Chad spent time in the hospital before transferring to inpatient rehab. Throughout his stay, he valued the care each member of his care team provided and how they assessed his needs.
Chad worked hard to go home. During physical and occupational therapy, his goal was to walk on his own without assistance. “Who would ever have thought that being able to do simple things that we take for granted now becomes a huge goal or milestone in your life,” he says.
Once discharged, Chad continued physical therapy to regain his range of motion and resume normal life. He was ready to get back to work — or so he thought.
Helping Others Who Experience Trauma
After 16 weeks back on the job, Chad decided it was time to retire. He now spends his days working on cars and military model kits, and volunteering at UPMC Williamsport with the Peer-to-Peer Visitation Program through their chapter of the Trauma Survivors Network
This program connects trauma patients and their families with trained survivor volunteers. People like Chad, who offer compassionate listening and practical resources.
From his time at UPMC Williamsport, Chad learned the importance of having caring people around him. He credits every single person on his team for making a difference in his care — and in his life.
“Just being around nice people, that has to help with your recovery time,” he says. “It makes things a little bit more positive on what could possibly be the worst day of your life.”
Celebrating National Trauma Awareness Month
May is National Trauma Awareness Month, and May 20 is National Trauma Survivors Day. In recognition, UPMC Williamsport hosts an annual reception to reunite trauma survivors and their families with the teams that cared for them.
For Chad, meeting the health care professionals, who were there in his moment of need, was truly a life-changing experience.
The Trauma Services team includes emergency medical services (EMS), surgeons, advanced practice providers (APPs), nurses, therapists, and a social worker. Team members work together to save the lives of those treated for traumatic injuries and the dedicated professionals who contributed to their success.
The May event celebrates survivors and remembers those who’ve passed with a moment of silence. People share stories of gratitude, strength, and hope to highlight the resilience of those who’ve experienced a health care emergency and the dedication of caregivers.
Chad’s story is a powerful reminder of what it means to not only survive but also to thrive. By sharing his story, he spreads a message of appreciation for the care and compassion that made his recovery possible.
UPMC Williamsport is a Level II Trauma Center accredited by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation. To learn more about UPMC Trauma Care, click here.