Ed Kennell 38,227 #1 Posted October 15, 2014 My 45 year old son was injured today while cleaning the gutters. He was on the roof blowing out the gutters with a leaf blower. The blower blew some water up on the metal roof causing him to slip and fall 25 feet. He just came out of surgery where they have pulled his crushed right leg back to correct length and stabilized it with two full leg length external rods that are bolted to the remaining bones. When the swelling goes down enough, reconstructive surgery will begin on his knee and lower leg. He also dislocated his shoulder and broke a few ribs. We are all giving thanks that he landed on his feet and hoping they can save the leg. Please be careful out there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KC9KAS 4,741 #2 Posted October 15, 2014 Very sorry to hear of this accident. Hope he makes a full recovery. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Molon_Labe 731 #3 Posted October 15, 2014 Ed I'm very sorry to hear about your son. Best wishes for a quick recovery. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 37,130 #4 Posted October 15, 2014 Man... I hate cleaning the gutters. He's in our prayers Ed. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
limited12 360 #5 Posted October 15, 2014 Pray that he has a fast and full recovery 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 15,514 #6 Posted October 15, 2014 I wish the best for your son, and hope for a speedy and complete recovery. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Geno 1,929 #7 Posted October 15, 2014 Sorry to hear about that Ed. Prayers for him and your family. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chazm 413 #8 Posted October 15, 2014 Best wishes for a quick recovery. Thank God & modern medicine 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldlineman 1,481 #9 Posted October 15, 2014 Being a lineman i have worked at great heights all my life and have been very blessed not to have that happen to me, our best wishes and PRAYERS are with your family. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JC 1965 1,530 #10 Posted October 15, 2014 Prayers going out for your son and your family Ed. Hope he will be good as new. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
19richie66 17,508 #11 Posted October 15, 2014 As others have said, hope he heals well and I will pray for him and his family. Sorry to hear this Ed. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Firpo701 407 #12 Posted October 15, 2014 We will definitely keep him in our prayers also. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tarcoleo 119 #13 Posted October 15, 2014 Saddened to hear that. Speedy complete recovery! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trouty56 567 #14 Posted October 16, 2014 Sorry Ed.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shallowwatersailor 3,213 #15 Posted October 16, 2014 That is something I always worried about when venting roofs while on the fire department. Hope he has a quick recovery, and he is in our prayers! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,227 #16 Posted October 16, 2014 Thank you all for the kind words, thoughts and prayers. We moved Mike from ICU to the trauma area today. He was alert and feeling OK, although he is very upset with himself for allowing this accident to happen. I talked with the surgeon today and he feels rebuilding the knee and lower leg will be more successful than a knee replacement. Although a replacement may need to be done in the future after the lower leg has healed. It will be 5-7 days until the swelling decreases enough to begin the surgical rebuilding process . This will not be a short recovery. Thanks again to all of you....Reading your kind messages has helped me to cope with this accident. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ericj 1,578 #17 Posted October 16, 2014 sorry to hear about this, hope he has a full recovery. god bless you and your family eric j 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 37,130 #18 Posted October 16, 2014 Next year, when he's back on his feet... did he say how he would do it differently Ed? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #19 Posted October 16, 2014 I'm sorry to hear of your son's accident and I hope he is all well soon. I was at my Dad's house yesterday working on his tractor and in conversation he tells me he was up on an extension ladder cleaning out the gutters. I wasn't too happy to hear this, I do as much as I possibly can too help out but my Dad still wants to do things around his house. Its not easy telling a proud guy who was a bear of a guy back in the day (he still is pretty darn tough) that I don't want him on an extension ladder cleaning the gutters, he's almost 80! My dad did in fact fall 25 feet off a friends roof to the ground back when he was 45 or 46 years old. I had to remind him how long he was in the hospital and that was when he was much younger.. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,227 #20 Posted October 16, 2014 Being active and DIY selfer like your Dad is a good thing Ken, but hopefully this post will remind us all how important it is to make good safe choices when selecting our activities. Craig, I also clean my own gutters on the house and the barn. The house is shingled and I have good traction, but I will not go on the metal barn roof after this accident. Going forward, I will try to convince Mike that cleaning these gutters on any metal roof should l be done from a good ladder with a second person holding the ladder or from the roof with a full safety harness and line running across the roof and being controlled by another person from the ground. I have tried several gutter guards, without much success. The small leaves and needles from my locust tree still get through the guard and the snow , ice , and wind usually tear the guards off every winter. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
holler1 4 #21 Posted October 17, 2014 Ekennel, best wishes to your son for a speedy recovery. I'm relatively new to the forum, but this struck me as a very timely topic. Our house is shingled and has a fairly low pitch, but cleaning gutters every year is something i dislike. I used to do them by hand from a ladder, but I've been using a leaf blower on the roof for several years. I'm pretty convinced that almost anything is safer than trying to reach sideways from the ladder. I use a rope tied off to a tree across the roof. I tie it to my belt and readjust it often so it wont let me get to the edge. After reading this, I'm thinking i will get a rock climber harness and a climber's rope for this job. Thanks to all who commented. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Forest Road 594 #22 Posted October 17, 2014 Whoa! Here's to a speedy recovery. I'm a lineman and have spent countless hours climbing. One of my coworkers out it best years ago when his wife asked him to clean the gutters. "I get my thrills @ 55' go call a gutter cleaner." Needless to say I too pay someone. I hate climbing ladders on houses. Utility poles are much easier. Prayers going out to your son. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimD 3,345 #23 Posted October 18, 2014 Best wishes for your son's complete recovery.. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,227 #24 Posted October 18, 2014 Update on Mike. We moved him to Apple Hill Rehab Center on Thursday to wait for the swelling to go down enough to start the surgery on his knee and leg. Hopefully this can commence next week. He is doing well here and in much better spirits. There are very few restrictions on visitors and his Wife and Sons can stay overnight if they wish. No sign of Pneumonia or infection. He took a 720' ride in a wheelchair yesterday pulling himself along with his good left foot. I tried this for about 50'and was worn out. Here are a few pics of the stabilizing structure they attached to his upper and lower leg to hold it in correct position. Two 1/4" self tapping bolts were put in each bone, then connected with clamps and 5/8" rods. He is aware of all your good thoughts and prayers and sends his THANKS. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
19richie66 17,508 #25 Posted October 19, 2014 Ouch that really looks painfull. So he didnt fracture his femur but everything from the knee down? I know I dont heal like I used to and cant imagine if this happened to me how long it would be before things got back to normal. I do know I wouldnt care to see another gutter as long as I lived. I wish him well Ed. Take care, Richie 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
