Real Miracles, Healing Stories
David Trumbo—An Unexpected Survivor
The phone rang at 2:00 a.m. on May 11, 2003. It seemed like a nightmare unfolding for David Trumbo’s grandparents, as they answered the chilling call and listened as a Saint Alphonsus' Emergency Department nurse explained that David was there – desperately fighting for his life.
David, a high school senior at the time, was involved in a very serious motor vehicle crash. He was one of three passengers in a compact car that had swerved to avoid hitting another car and ended up in a one-car rollover. The driver was later convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The fact that David survived the crash was nothing short of a miracle, since he had been partially ejected from the vehicle by the force of crash. Seconds counted for his survival and the Saint Alphonsus Life Flight crew quickly responded to the call to transport him to the Saint Alphonsus Trauma Center. An assessment of his condition conveyed the severity of the situation: David’s internal organs were seriously damaged because the car had rolled and landed on top of him; both lungs were punctured; his spleen and liver were lacerated. David also suffered a severe head injury and the swelling and bleeding were so profuse that all of his injuries couldn’t be determined until he arrived at the hospital.
For David’s family, it was a difficult time – especially for David’s father who was out-of-state when he received the news of the accident and agonized throughout the 5-hour drive to be by his son’s side. Family and friends waited anxiously for any promising news of David’s condition. The wait, the worry, and the unanswered questions were hard to handle, emotionally and physically, for everyone.
When David’s father arrived at the hospital, he insisted on seeing him right away. The view before him was surreal. Doctors and nurses frantically worked on David – hand-pumping air into his lungs, infusing him with blood and fluids. His body appeared swollen, and was unrecognizable to all that knew him. The initial report from the trauma surgeon was not good - David had lost so much blood and he had suffered so many serious injuries, it was highly doubtful he would survive.
Just when David’s family felt it couldn’t get any worse, a second visit from the surgeon indicated that his blood was not circulating properly. The only way to save him would be through emergency surgery that utilized extraordinary measures to help his blood circulate through his body. The surgeon had described it as “an ugly surgery” – due to some of the steps that had to be taken to help get his blood to circulate - but they were measures that would be necessary to save his life. When the surgeon appeared again two hours later, they learned that the surgery had been a success and David’s circulation was good. It was encouraging news!
Even with these successes, it would be weeks before the physician would suggest
that David might make it through his traumatic ordeal. Steadily, with patience
and perseverance, David began to improve. It was a very lengthy process - six
weeks in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and three additional weeks as an in-patient
- but it was helpful just knowing that he was making progress. Through it all,
David was never alone during his hospital stay at Saint Alphonsus. His family
and friends were constantly by his side, offering encouragement and support
until his discharge home that July.
Today, David has returned to the everyday pleasures of life. While he maintains
that he has always believed in miracles, he truly believes that his life was
spared for some special reason. That fact that he was given a second chance
has inspired him to live with a newfound view—life is truly fragile…and
it can change in an instant.
For David, it’s also an exciting time. He is preparing to go to college and seeking a career that involves helping others – as an acknowledgement and tribute to those who helped save his own life. At this time, David is exploring interests in the field of nursing or physical therapy.
Another focus of his story and one David especially wants to share with the teens in the community is to “…recognize that there are others who are making wrong choices and that you can do the right thing …and be responsible.” The tragic accident has changed David in many ways, but he also has learned that one person can make a big difference in the lives of many others.