Chris Owens| Cutting Edge Tree Service| Bad Accident

Eric Frei · 21st August 2009, 11:39 PM

Logger fighting for his life in Seattle hospital - KXLY.com: News, Weather and Sports for Spokane, WA and Coeur d'Alene, ID |

Quote:

Logger fighting for his life in Seattle hospital

COEUR D'ALENE -- A father of three is fighting for his life at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after he was badly hurt clearing trees near Sandpoint.

Chris Owens was critically injured when a treetop fell on him earlier this week. The tree severed his spine and crushed his chest. While his condition has stabilized doctors don't know if he will survive and if he does he won't be able to walk.

"It's gonna be a total life changing experience if he survives it," Chris' uncle Jesse Mays said.

Owens, 30, loved the independence his job allowed. Seven years ago he started his own business, Cutting Edge Tree Service, specializing in hazardous tree removal.

Mays admits his nephew's job came with some serious risks.

"It is very dangerous work, very dangerous," Mays said.

Chris was clearing some trees in a forest in Sandpoint Monday and had bent down to fix his saw when the top of a birch tree came barreling down.

Chris and his wife Laura have three small children, their youngest four-months-old and was born premature. The family spent a month in the hospital praying they would be able to take their baby home.

Now just a few months later they're back in a hospital room in Seattle praying Chris will recover from a his injuries but right now there's no guarantee he will survive.

"They don't know," Jesse Mays said.

A fund has been set up to help Chris and his family at the Horizon Credit Union in Sandpoint.

Bruce Hopf · 22nd August 2009, 12:03 PM

My God.
Hope he makes it. Not being able to be there, to watch his kids grow, isn't something I wouldn't want to do.
Man. Even if he is in a wheel chair, there is lots that he can still do with his family.
Doesn't say if he just finished felling the tree, or if someone working with him fell the tree, to cause the top to come down on top of him.
I know unexplained things can happen while working with trees.
Just hope he pulls through. Bruce.

stirmantrees · 22nd August 2009, 12:24 PM

i hope he makes it to.
a climber for a big outfit around here broke his back on a crane job within 2 weeks or so ago, hurt real bad. my brother does sales for them which is how i know. i feel so helpless when i here accidents like this. God help these guys and there families right now.

James Sayers · 22nd August 2009, 01:13 PM

hope chris makes it ,it dont take much for things to go wrong ,i know i would not want to go on as i have informed my wife to let me go if things went bad good luck chris owens

Connie · 9th September 2009, 12:32 PM

Hello everyone, and thanks for the well wishes and prayers for Chris.

I am his mother-in-law and I have just returned home from the 3 week stay in Seattle WA at Harbor View Hospital to be with Chris and his family. I thought I'd let you know he came through the surgery and is on the road to recovery. The accident did leave him paralized from the chest down but he does have full use of his arms. We are all so thankful for that. He is such a good person, great family man and loves to cuddle with his 3 small children and wife of 12 years, and still can. He is now going through rehab and learning how to live life in a wheelchair. I bet he'll be poppin' wheelies in no time at all. He has a wonderful attitude which is helping him excel and adapt to this major life change. The doctors said 4 to 8 weeks in rehabilation and with Chris' strong will to excel in anything he does I'll bet he'll be home in another 3 weeks. Chris was the sole supporter of his family. His wife stayed home to raise their little ones, Katelyn 3, Payton 2, and Lydia 4 months old. The youngest was born premature and weighed only 2 1/2 pounds at birth. She spent a month in ICU in Spokane WA. The family was just recoverying from this when Chris' accident happened. They are in need of help so any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks again for your prayers and well wishes.

Eric Frei · 9th September 2009, 02:56 PM

Connie,

Thanks for posting, good to hear that he made it and hope rehab goes well.

I know it's not the best time to ask but can you find out how the tree top fell on him, like was it broken or dead or did some-one up the tree do it not knowing he was there etc. We're all intrigued and need to understand how things happen and what to watch out for.

olyman · 11th September 2009, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Connie

Hello everyone, and thanks for the well wishes and prayers for Chris.

I am his mother-in-law and I have just returned home from the 3 week stay in Seattle WA at Harbor View Hospital to be with Chris and his family. I thought I'd let you know he came through the surgery and is on the road to recovery. The accident did leave him paralized from the chest down but he does have full use of his arms. We are all so thankful for that. He is such a good person, great family man and loves to cuddle with his 3 small children and wife of 12 years, and still can. He is now going through rehab and learning how to live life in a wheelchair. I bet he'll be poppin' wheelies in no time at all. He has a wonderful attitude which is helping him excel and adapt to this major life change. The doctors said 4 to 8 weeks in rehabilation and with Chris' strong will to excel in anything he does I'll bet he'll be home in another 3 weeks. Chris was the sole supporter of his family. His wife stayed home to raise their little ones, Katelyn 3, Payton 2, and Lydia 4 months old. The youngest was born premature and weighed only 2 1/2 pounds at birth. She spent a month in ICU in Spokane WA. The family was just recoverying from this when Chris' accident happened. They are in need of help so any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks again for your prayers and well wishes.

be praying that he recovers out of it all--for a miracle. dear me-----

Bruce Hopf · 11th September 2009, 09:38 AM

Hi Connie.
Thanks for the update on Chris. Our prayers are with him, and wish him all the best. Bruce.

22nd August 2009, 12:03 PM	#2
Bruce Hopf Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North of Sebringville, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,167	Re: Chris Owens\| Cutting Edge Tree Service\| Bad Accident My God. Hope he makes it. Not being able to be there, to watch his kids grow, isn't something I wouldn't want to do. Man. Even if he is in a wheel chair, there is lots that he can still do with his family. Doesn't say if he just finished felling the tree, or if someone working with him fell the tree, to cause the top to come down on top of him. I know unexplained things can happen while working with trees. Just hope he pulls through. Bruce. __________________ McCulloch chain saws 1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's, 2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener, 1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver 2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10 Stihl chain saws 2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084, Strunk chain saws 1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

22nd August 2009, 12:24 PM	#3
stirmantrees Mature tree Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: oviedo, fl Posts: 469	Re: Chris Owens\| Cutting Edge Tree Service\| Bad Accident i hope he makes it to. a climber for a big outfit around here broke his back on a crane job within 2 weeks or so ago, hurt real bad. my brother does sales for them which is how i know. i feel so helpless when i here accidents like this. God help these guys and there families right now.

22nd August 2009, 01:13 PM	#4
James Sayers Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: brisbane Posts: 84	Re: Chris Owens\| Cutting Edge Tree Service\| Bad Accident hope chris makes it ,it dont take much for things to go wrong ,i know i would not want to go on as i have informed my wife to let me go if things went bad good luck chris owens

9th September 2009, 12:32 PM	#5
Connie I'm new here so be nice Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Rathdrum, Idaho USA Posts: 1	Re: Chris Owens\| Cutting Edge Tree Service\| Bad Accident Hello everyone, and thanks for the well wishes and prayers for Chris. I am his mother-in-law and I have just returned home from the 3 week stay in Seattle WA at Harbor View Hospital to be with Chris and his family. I thought I'd let you know he came through the surgery and is on the road to recovery. The accident did leave him paralized from the chest down but he does have full use of his arms. We are all so thankful for that. He is such a good person, great family man and loves to cuddle with his 3 small children and wife of 12 years, and still can. He is now going through rehab and learning how to live life in a wheelchair. I bet he'll be poppin' wheelies in no time at all. He has a wonderful attitude which is helping him excel and adapt to this major life change. The doctors said 4 to 8 weeks in rehabilation and with Chris' strong will to excel in anything he does I'll bet he'll be home in another 3 weeks. Chris was the sole supporter of his family. His wife stayed home to raise their little ones, Katelyn 3, Payton 2, and Lydia 4 months old. The youngest was born premature and weighed only 2 1/2 pounds at birth. She spent a month in ICU in Spokane WA. The family was just recoverying from this when Chris' accident happened. They are in need of help so any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks again for your prayers and well wishes.

9th September 2009, 02:56 PM	#6
Eric Frei Admin - Owner Palm & Tree Services in Brisbane Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,994	Re: Chris Owens\| Cutting Edge Tree Service\| Bad Accident Connie, Thanks for posting, good to hear that he made it and hope rehab goes well. I know it's not the best time to ask but can you find out how the tree top fell on him, like was it broken or dead or did some-one up the tree do it not knowing he was there etc. We're all intrigued and need to understand how things happen and what to watch out for. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Palm and Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

11th September 2009, 09:38 AM	#8
Bruce Hopf Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North of Sebringville, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,167	Re: Chris Owens\| Cutting Edge Tree Service\| Bad Accident Hi Connie. Thanks for the update on Chris. Our prayers are with him, and wish him all the best. Bruce. __________________ McCulloch chain saws 1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's, 2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener, 1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver 2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10 Stihl chain saws 2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084, Strunk chain saws 1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

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