Fletcher Podosek, age 26, was found lying face down in the Colorado River by his friend who saw him and saved his life on July 29, 2024. He had no ability to move from the neck down. His friend flipped him over and Fletcher spit out water and told them he couldn’t move his arms or legs. Fletcher thought for a moment he was going to drown. He was airlifted to the closest hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. His mom, dad, brother and girlfriend immediately drove to Phoenix to support him. That night they did emergency surgery to remove the back spinal cord bones of his C4, C5 and C6 from his neck due to the severity of the damage. His parents received a call from the surgeon while on the road to Arizona, asking for consent to do emergency surgery. They needed to relieve the pressure on his spine as quickly as possible. This was the most difficult call they had ever received. When they arrived at the hospital several hours later, the doctors shared difficult news that Fletcher had significant spinal cord damage from his neck being broken in multiple places and his C5 was completely crushed. They said he would not be able to use his arms or legs ever again and he would be quadriplegic. After 5 days in ICU, where he experienced a phenomenon called ICU Psychosis among other things, he started to stabilize and was able to be moved to another floor that promoted more rest and a chance to recover. By some miracle and with his determination, he started to improve faster than anticipated. He could move his arms a bit and was feeling pressure on his legs. He couldn’t always say where you were touching, but knew you were touching his legs. After another week, he was deemed stable enough to be transported home to California, which was a scary 7-hour drive strapped to a gurney in the back of an ambulance. He has since been at St. Jude’s Medical Center in Fullerton, CA, and is making progress. He currently requires two care givers full-time. He can lift his arms and is starting to work on controlling the movement in his arms and hands, grasping and holding objects, and is expected to be able to get his hand dexterity back. His right arm, which was dominant prior to the accident, is weaker. He is working on core strength as he currently cannot sit up on his own. He has some feeling in his legs and can now tell where you are touching him most of the time. This is significant progress and makes us all hopeful that he will walk again. This is the beginning of a long road to recovery. Fletcher was truly living the California dream before this incident. An avid snowboarder, surfer, backpacker, and overall sports lover, he lived out the adventurous part of his spirit by playing outside. He had just hiked half dome with his girlfriend and best friend the weekend prior to the incident. He was never one to sit still and puts his outdoor pursuits and relationships with his loved ones at the forefront of his life. To have this happen to such an amazing person is hard to understand. Fletcher balances his recreational activities with an unwavering sense of responsibility. He was a star performer in both athletics and academics. After graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cum Laude with a BS in Construction Management, he traveled to the remote fishing village of Agbokpa in Ghana, in West Africa. He helped install a water filtration system that created potable water for the villagers who had to walk over a mile to obtain clean water. When he came home from his academic and traveling endeavors, he lived at his parents’ house while working and paid off his student loans in two years. He remained working at the same company he was recruited to when he finished college and eventually moved out on his own. This is a young, hardworking man; he and his parents are having to deal with an incredibly difficult situation. David and Kris, his dad and mom, have not left his side since the surgery. They take shifts at the hospital, including sleeping there, while both working full-time. Someone is always next to Fletcher’s bedside. It’s hard to call for a nurse when you can’t push the call button and they want to be sure their son is getting the help that he needs. They say the first 6-12 months of therapy are the most significant for Spinal Cord Injuries. We all have lots of hope that with the proper care, physical therapy, faith and determination he will walk again. Average first year expenses for a Spinal Cord Injury are estimated to be $500,000 and upwards of $2 million across a lifetime. Funds raised will be directly used for Fletcher’s ongoing medical expenses, physical therapy and rehab, necessary equipment (i.e. wheelchair, hoist, electric bed, and other in-home aids), home, and vehicle modifications. If you can please consider donating to this go-fund-me to help with the expenses, we will be forever grateful. If you can’t donate money, please send your thoughts and prayers to Fletcher and please share this page with others. We are providing updates on Fletcher's recovery in our Facebook group, Friends of Fletcher . Thank you so much for considering this request.
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