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Gwinnett dad paralyzed by 60-foot falling tree limb
Twenty-one-year-old Evan Peters was working on a job site in Gwinnett County when a dead tree limb fell from 60 feet up, crushing several vertebrae and leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - A single moment while on the job has permanently altered the life of a 21-year-old Gwinnett County man, leaving a new father paralyzed and his family searching for a path forward.
His family said Evan Peters was working at a job site a week ago when a dead limb fell from a tree approximately 60 feet above him. Despite wearing a helmet, the force of the impact caused catastrophic injuries to his spine and neck.
‘It broke his spine’
What they're saying:
"He was on a job site working on trees, and he was standing beneath the tree with a helmet on," said Kristy Jones, a family friend. "A dead limb fell out of the tree 60 feet up, so the impact was harsh; it broke his spine."
Peters' cousin, Kasey Jackson, noted the severity of the fractures caused by the falling debris.
"He broke his neck when the tree limb hit, it crushed his neck, so it broke quite a few vertebrates," Jackson said.
Tree limb falls, paralyzes young father
What we know:
According to his family, doctors have determined that Peters is now paralyzed from the shoulders down. Jones explained the current extent of his physical sensation following the accident.
"He can feel a little right here (near his shoulder) but once you get here, it's basically it," Jones said.
The accident came at a time when Peters was settling into a new chapter of his life. He is a father to a 1-year-old son and has a girlfriend. Those close to him say his focus had shifted entirely to his family before the injury occurred.
"He has a girlfriend, a 1-year-old baby and, um, the baby turns 2 in June and that kid is his entire world. The moment he became a dad is the moment he grew up and said, 'I'm ready for this,'" Jackson said.
While the physical toll is significant, doctors confirmed to the family that Peters did not suffer a brain injury. Though he is currently on a ventilator and unable to speak, his loved ones say he remains mentally sharp and responsive to his favorite things, including sports.
"He's going to get back to watching his NASCAR races and the Georgia Bulldogs when the season starts and all of that, to see him kind of light up and respond to that is really just so special," Jones said.
‘There can be a success story’
What's next:
Peters is currently at Northside Gwinnett Hospital, where his room has been filled daily by a steady stream of visitors. On Tuesday, he is scheduled to transition to the Shepherd Center on a "charity bed" for one month to begin intensive recovery and rehabilitation.
Despite the prognosis, his family remains hopeful that his personality and spirit will remain intact. Jackson described Peters as the "life of the party" and someone who could light up a room.
"I really do think there can be a success story out of this, and I think Evan’s story can be a beautiful story in the end," Jackson said.
The family is bracing for a long journey ahead, but they are committed to maintaining a sense of normalcy for Peters as he navigates his new reality.
"We will be there, we will be sitting around the table having Thanksgiving dinner like normal, listening to him be funny. His body looks different, but his people don’t and his mind doesn’t," Jones said.
What you can do:
The family has a Go Fund Me set up for Evan. It is https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-evan-parkers-recovery
The Source: The primary sources for the article are family friend Kristy Jones and Peters’ cousin Kasey Jackson, who provided personal accounts and health updates.