Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Joe Weida, 29, suffered severe injuries in an ATV accident in Moab.
- Strangers, including Scott Huntsman, formed a human chain to rescue him.
- The Weida family expresses gratitude for the community's support and assistance.
MOAB —The family of a 29-year-old man severely injured in an ATV accident on Oct. 26 is grateful for the group of strangers who carried their son to safety.
The Weida family lives in Colorado, but their son, Joe, had gone to Moab with his dog, Copper, to explore the trails.
"He had never been to Hell's Gate, and he tried it, and he couldn't get up it, and a Jeep (driver) went by and said, 'Just really give it some gas,' and he tried it again, and that's when he fell off and then the four-wheeler landed on him," said Joe's mother, Kelley Weida.
She said he was wearing his helmet, but he has no feeling or movement from the chest down.
"It's an incomplete spinal cord injury," said his father, Rob Weida. "Permanent paralysis to the legs is very likely, and they just don't know how far the arms will come along."
He's undergone surgeries that his family and doctors are hopeful will help in his recovery. He's a welder, so they're especially hopeful he'll have use of his hands again.
The Weidas said it's hard to watch the videos of their son's rescue.
"It's heartwarming, and it's hard," Kelley Weida said. "People send us pictures of him laying there. It's hard. It's really hard to look at."
A group of strangers, including auto shop owner Scott Huntsman, followed first responders' directions and formed a human chain to pass Joe Weida along in a bucket carefully, so they didn't make his injuries worse.
"The skill that it took, and just their willingness, they didn't bat an eye to help our son," Rob Weida said. "So very grateful, but, very heart-wrenching to see your son actually suffering like that."
The parents said their son remembers the bumpy ride in the Life Flight helicopter that had to navigate an extremely narrow space. He asked his parents to thank those who assisted with his rescue.
"He said, 'Say the names,' which were Darlene and Otto and Scott," Rob Weida said. "He's kind of overwhelmed with gratitude."
His family said they are thankful for how Utahns have responded to their son's situation, including the Grand County Sheriff's Office, which got his dog when Joe Weida was in the accident.
The Weida family said Joe has a long road to recovery ahead.
"Usually with a spinal cord injury, anything below where you've hurt it is greatly impacted, so, they're very good at keeping hope alive," Rob Weida said. "There are cases where full recoveries are made."
Donations to Joe Weida to help pay for his surgeries and treatment can be made at gofundme.com/f/joe-weida-and-the-weida-family*.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
