The physical trauma was severe: his head was lacerated and later closed with 21 staples; his back was bruised and rubbed raw from bracing against the seat as the machine overturned; and his side was pierced—likely by a branch. He sustained seven broken ribs and three breaks in his back. He rolled over 600 feet down the mountain slope through small-diameter trees and was finally stopped by larger trees at the base near the parking area. John landed upside down, freed himself from the machine, and crawled to the edge of the parking lot, where other workers—including our oldest son—rushed to his aid. And yet, through the pain and disorientation, there was an unmistakable sense of protection, guidance, and grace.
As he endured his own wounds, John came to glimpse the wounds of Christ. This was not just suffering—it became a personal invitation to understand the love of a Savior who willingly suffered for us. It is a testimony that even in our most broken moments, we are never abandoned. This is a story of faith refined through fire, of a prayer answered in unexpected ways, and of a God who walks with us through the hardest terrain.
About the photos in the video:
The first photo shows the slope John rolled down, with the Takeuchi track skidsteer visible at the base. The crashed machine appears in the background during the lyric, “He’s crawled through the thickets…”. The picture of John in his S300 Bobcat was taken at a different job site. The slope photos are original from 2014, when John was grading the ski runs. Some photos were taken immediately after the accident and later in the hospital; others, from August 2014, show John working in the garden and riding the 4-wheeler, determined to stay active despite the pain. The cliff-side shots are from a September 2014 road trip in Southern Utah with a close friend.
Many original accident-site photos were lost over the years. The trees seen in the video as John rolls down the slope were filmed in 2025 at the original location.
