On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, while filming a sequence for “Slash Squatch” on Tom Dick and Harry Mountain, director Aaron Bratcher was involved in a serious accident involving over a 100 foot fall.

He was airlifted to Legacy Emanuel Trauma Center in Portland, where he was sedated and in and out of surgery for the first 24 hours. Aaron sustained life-threatening injuries, but has stabilized and is going to pull through. He’s now facing a very long road to recovery.

For those who know Aaron, you already know that he is a focused, ambitious, and absolutely tenacious filmmaker. Existing alongside that tenacity is someone who pours an enormous amount of himself into the stories and people around him. To meet him is to be inspired by him.

He eats, sleeps, lives, and breathes his movie “Slash Squatch”. You won’t meet a more passionate or driven person. His filmmaking isn’t just something he does for a living. He puts his entire heart and soul into every shot, every frame.

Slash Squatch is inspired by some of his favorite notable films, but it is also more than that. So much of the film’s inspiration is drawn from his gratitude and passion for the life he leads every day.

One of the most inspiring things about Aaron is that he can spend an entire day pouring everything he has into Slash Squatch and still return a friend’s call to listen or give advice, no matter how hard the day was.

No matter what you’re going through, Aaron is the type of person who can snap you out of a funk and remind you of all the magic surrounding you because of the way he notices the magic in his own life. But he will always sit with you while you’re going through your funk, too. If the magic isn’t something you have the space for, he holds it for you.

I’m very lucky to call Aaron a close friend, and I’ve gotten to experience firsthand the creativity, generosity, and heart he brings into the lives of the people around him. From the moment we became friends, he has championed me through my passions and pushed me toward my goals. During some of the biggest changes in my own life, he immediately and without question became a safe place to land. He’s taken the time to teach me new creative skills, encouraged my own work and helped build my confidence as an artist, trusted me with his own creative projects, and treated my expertise with the same respect and enthusiasm that he gives to his own.

He’s an incredible listener, artist, teacher, and friend- and I know I’m far from the only person who has experienced that kind of generosity from him.

Right now, Aaron needs our help. In addition to the wilderness rescue and hospitalization, this accident has created unexpected expenses including medical bills, travel, lodging, lost income, rehabilitation, and other expenses.

Aaron has been completely devoting himself to “Slash Squatch” since 2021. Five years of relentless work, love, and creativity have gone into this film. For most people, life imitates art. For Aaron, his art imitates his life.

Every detail is important, thought out, and personal to him, and each one is woven into his story with equal care. It is more than a passion project, it’s a part of his life. In the moments following his accident, talking about the film meant more to him than anything else. It helped him hold on while we waited for help to arrive.

Aaron is truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of friend- and artist. For him, the two are one and the same. He shows his love and admiration for the mass of people surrounding him, whom he unequivocally treats like family, with the same gratitude and zest for life that he pours into his work. He has a way of making you feel the passion and excitement he brings to the screen simply through an interaction with him.

After everything Aaron has poured into this film and into everyone around him, it’s our turn to pour something back into him.

If you know Aaron, love his work, have been touched by his creativity, or simply want to help someone through an incredibly difficult moment, any contribution would mean so much. If you’re not in a position to donate, sharing this fundraiser is just as valuable. Every share helps us reach more people and gives Aaron and his family a little more breathing room during an extraordinarily difficult time.

Thank you for showing up for Aaron while we navigate what comes next. ❤️