The Incident

On 11-13-05 my 2 brothers and I set out on a hunting trip 8.5 miles Northeast of Florence, and 8 miles East of highway 79 just east of the Florence Military Reservation.

We parked at a location we have used before, started suiting up, and loading our shotguns. We started walking into the desert heading in a North Westerly direction.


We had barely walked 300 feet when as I was walking down into a small gully my feet slipped on the gravel and rocks that are prevalent in this area. I was worried that my shotgun would go off and hit one of my brother’s close by. Somehow my feet got tangled up and as I fell backwards I felt and heard my leg go CRACK.
I started yelling in pain and my brothers ran over to where I was. As soon as I untangled my feet I laid my right foot down sideways on the ground. I laid there until the pain went down and I was no longer in shock (20 to 30 minutes). Chris started taking the guns and other equipment back to the trucks while Mike and I tried to figure out how to make a splint. We had Chris get 2 Golf Club shafts, 2 Tie down straps and a Shotgun shell Belt from Mike’s Isuzu Rodeo.

We placed the Golf club shafts on either side of my leg and secured them with the tie down straps (cutting off the excess strap) then in the middle we wrapped Chris’s Shotgun belt. Mike cut off the upper 1/3 of the inside golf club with his leatherman so I wouldn’t poke my self trying to move around. Once I was able to get up I used both of my brothers as support and we slowly started moving towards the dirt road about 100 yards away. This took 20 to 30 minutes and was extremely painful and tiring. Once we got to the dirt road Mike got his Rodeo, Chris got my Truck and we headed slowly back to the highway (45 minutes). Once at the highway we called information to see if and where there was a hospital in Florence. Information could not find one and suggested we call 9-1-1. We called 9-1-1, and they could not find one in Florence. So we drove the 35 miles to Mesa’s Banner Baywood Hospital. As I had a broken leg I got right in.

The Emergency room staff were quite interested in the splint since most people who bring themselves in do not attempt to stabilize the injury. They took X-rays, put a temporary splint on my leg, and sent me home.


On Monday I called around and the nearest Doctor who could see me the next day is in Sun City West. On Tuesday I went in and after the Doctor looked at the X-rays he recommended an operation to correctly set the bone. That would take place on Monday 11-21-05. The day of the surgery came and they put me under. When I woke up they told me I had not had the surgery because I had developed a fungal infection on the foot and leg under the cast (I still do not believe this). I saw the doctor on 11-23-05 and there was no infection. When I saw the Doctor he recommended I go in for surgery on 11-25-05. They did not set the Leg during surgery as the Doctor reported the bones were stable. I did get 2 screws in my ankle because when I twisted my ankle I tore the ligaments that hold the 2 bones together. I received a permanent cast.

On 1-4-06 The cast was removed. I then got a “Cam-Walker” and 5 weeks later I had the screws removed from my ankles. I then spent the next 3 months in rehab and was able to get the ankle about 90 to 95 percent back to normal.

Of course my Brothers were very supportive and made sure I knew that their entire Hunting/Fishing season was ruined.