Sledding Accident Breaks Back at 18, Still Pain-Free

Kevin Hoskins was living life fearlessly at 18, sledding on a car hood that broke nine ribs and several vertebrae. Back fusion surgery has kept him active and working full time, pain-free.

I broke my back seven days after I turned 18. Bunch of crazy kids sledding on a car hood, rope broke and I hit a tree. When it happened I was knocked out. Went to my local hospital, they said I had nine broken ribs and could get up and walk. I walked out of that hospital and got in the car and my dad took me to UMC, it was L-something vertebrae that was shattered. They thought they were going to have to cut a piece out of my hip to replace it. But they didn’t because it was shattered so they fused it all together. Fused three of my other vertebrae to it, put six bolts and a plate in my back.

I wasn’t allowed to lift anything over 5 pounds for six months, or driving. But within four months I was riding horses, got my back brace off in May. I did take it off to go swimming in the ocean for my senior trip. In July of the same year I had my back surgery I went water skiing, wasn’t really smart I hurt my back on that one.

I worked in a factory for nine years after that, a lot of lifting but nothing really heavy, nothing really physical. Now I’m a journeyman lineman, I climb light poles, work out of bucket trucks, do a lot of heavy lifting. For fun I hunt, ride 4-wheelers, still ride horses every once in a while. It’s been 20 years since my back surgery, I do anything and everything I want to do. When Dr. McCord fixes you, you’re fixed!