Help Tom Get Home & Find A New Normal

Life dealt the Garner family a tough hand on November 18th. Tom was in a multi-vehicle automobile accident. He was hit from behind by a commercial truck moving at freeway speeds. The force of impact caused Tom’s Trailblazer to spin multiple times on the freeway, demolishing the back and sides of his car and leaving him unconscious and fighting for his life.

He was transported by ambulance to the nearest Level II Trauma Center at Utah Valley Hospital. In the ER, Tom was intubated immediately and the diagnostic testing began. He has an extensive list of injuries, many of which are life threatening. The first 10 hours in the hospital were absolutely terrifying for the Garner family as the full magnitude of the situation became more clear. Trauma team authorities shared with Cammi that it was a marvel Tom didn’t die in transit. A complete list of known injuries is too long to include but here are a few-

Many friends and family members have called and texted, come by, dropped off food, drinks and blankets which has been so dearly appreciated. Even more have prayed and fasted for Tom, his ability to heal, and for the inspiration and discernment of his trauma surgical, neurosurgery, and orthopedic surgery teams. As you could assume, in only a few days the Garners have been through every emotion imaginable.

It has been helpful to look for a “Miracle of the Day” everyday, and there have already been so many. The first Miracle of the Day was when Tom’s blood pressure stabilized enough to get an MRI that cleared him to undergo the first of many surgeries required to start fixing his injuries. The second Miracle of the Day was the successful operation of plating Tom’s broken, crushed ribs to restructure the chest wall that will enable him to lay flat on his stomach to allow the neurosurgery team to get to work on Tom’s spine. Tom has a long, difficult road of recovery ahead of him involving multiple extensive surgeries, weeks in the ICU, and months of inpatient physical and occupational therapy. He is supported by his devoted wife Cammi and children. Tom is medically sedated and intubated at this time so he cannot talk, but if he were awake we know he would be so thankful for the outpouring of love and support.

If you know Tom or the Garner family at all or read his story and want to help with his life-saving medical care and recovery journey, any donation would help lighten the financial burden for Tom and Cammi. We believe in prayer and ask for everyone to keep the Garner family in their prayers as they begin their long journey to a new normal.