On July 26th, at approximately 2 p.m., we received the devastating news that Mitch had been in a diving accident, from diving into the Mississippi river causing a severe spinal injury. The impact resulted in his C6 vertebra slipping off the C5 vertebra, compressing his spinal cord. Mitch experienced immediate loss of sensation from the mid-chest down, describing his initial reaction as, "I tried to swim, but I couldn’t."

Following the accident, Mitch was transported by the Dive & Rescue team to an awaiting ambulance, which rushed him to Winona Health. From there, he was quickly airlifted to Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Upon arrival, CT and MRI scans confirmed the spinal cord compression, and Mitch underwent emergency surgery to realign his spine. Surgeons stabilized the area with rods and screws. Initially, Mitch had limited movement in his left arm and minimal motion in his right arm, with no leg movement.

The following morning, a subsequent MRI revealed continued pressure on his spinal cord. He was immediately taken for a second surgery, where doctors inserted a "cage and a plate" through the front of his neck to relieve the remaining pressure. After the second surgery, Mitch returned to the ICU and began to regain more feeling in his right arm, with slight movement in his right leg. This progress is incredibly encouraging, especially given the slim chances of regaining sensation in his legs, as indicated by medical professionals.

If you would like to support Mitch's recovery journey, any contribution, would be greatly appreciated. Your generosity will help alleviate the financial burden associated with his time spent here at Mayo.