Toledo tree trimmer paralyzed after a dead limb crushes him in freak accident

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - There’s that saying, “Life can change in an instant”, and local tree trimmer, Matt Thieman, is a true testament to that.

Matt was crushed by a dead limb just last week when he was helping his brother Tony Thieman, who is also a tree trimmer, clear it from their mother’s home.

“It happened so fast,” said Tony Thieman. “I ran up to him and I was trying to keep him calm, make sure he was still breathing. I thought I lost him.”

Thankfully, Matt survived the accident, but his sister, Heidi Franz, says they did not find out the extent of his injuries until Monday night.

“They went in and found out that it was a complete break, so, now, our little bit of hope was taken away,” said Franz.

Now, completely paralyzed from the chest down, Matt and his family must figure out a whole new way of life.

“Like what steps they’re going to have to take, and everything that they’re going to need,” Franz said.

She hopes speaking publicly about what happened to her brother will remind people how precious life is.

“You understand that people out there have struggles but you don’t know until it hits home.”

Franz and the rest of Matt’s family are asking the community for continued prayers.

If you are interested in helping Matt and his family financially, click here.

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