CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine — Blood transfusions a New Hampshire man received on a LifeFlight helicopter likely saved his life after he suffered life-threatening injuries Saturday when he hit a tree while snowboarding on Sugarloaf Mountain, his father said Monday.
Grant Jones of Bedford, N.H., said his son, Nicholas, 24, was conscious and communicative Monday as he recovered at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.
“It’s like Christmas morning for us. We’re elated that he is scheduled, at this point, to make a full recovery,” Grant Jones said. Nicholas’ mother, Vivian, works in the advertising department of the New Hampshire Union Leader.
“Nicholas is taking a turn for the good, fortunately,” Grant Jones said. “He still hasn’t been upgraded from critical condition, but things are looking up.”
Grant Jones said his son hit the tree so hard the impact split his liver, which had to be surgically repaired.
“It was terrible, terrible,” Grant Jones said. “It was just through blunt force trauma.”
Nicholas Jones also broke every bone in his face, broke every rib on the right side of his body and shattered his pelvis, his father said.
“There was no brain damage or spinal damage, which was a blessing,” he said.
Nicholas was wearing a helmet while snowboarding with classmates from the New England School of Optometry when he veered off the trail and wasn’t able to slow down because the woods grounds had ice or bare ground rather than snow cover, Grant Jones said.
“He was doing what a 24-year-old does, going fast,” he said. “He caught an edge and lost control.”
Nicholas Jones’ accident happened days after a Canadian man hit a tree, then died in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Nicholas Jones, though, was flown to a hospital, which likely saved his life, his father said.
“If not for the efforts of the guys on the helicopter, he’d have been dead on arrival,” he said.
Instead, Nicholas Jones has a series of coming surgeries to repair his pelvis and the broken bones in his face, but is expected to graduate on time from optometry school on time and begin a career in the U.S. Air Force, his father said.
It’s assuring to know that the EMT’s and everyone involved did what they were trained to do and saved this young man’s life. I certainly hope that he will be able to finish school and someday or somehow help someone else in dire need.
God be with him, and his family!
it was like “christmas morning”
Great Job First Responders!
Don’t be a jerk, you know what the father meant…
How is he being a jerk?
Way to go ski patrol, NorthStar and LifeFlight of Maine! The high quality care you give is the rule and not the exception!
Yes good job THIS time Northstar.
Wouldn’t it be prudent to know the facts before we through Northstar and the crew under the bus?
Yeah…I suppose. Thanks for the readjustment :)
….
God Bless him and his family! WOW! It’s a miracle he’s alive!
Ok why are there no fences or other sort of blockade between the ski area and the trees? Seems this is a issue as if you google it there seems to be quite a few people hitting trees while ski/ snow boarding?
You are talking about miles and miles of trails. Why not ask that question about putting airbags between every road and the trees?
Actually, there is a growing interest in skiing amongst the trees, and these areas called glades have been cut into the expanding terrain of Sugarloaf as well as other mountains. On the groomed trails there are a few steep areas that fencing is strategically placed where a fall would force a skier into the trees. Then there are skiers who choose to ski fast at the trails edge to catch some powdery conditions, and they are choosing to add incredible risk to their experience. Anyone who has skied has caught an edge that forced them in an unintended direction, and for the vast majority escaped injury, but probably quickened their heart rate.
So glad this young man will be able to tell his grandkids about the day he went snowboarding.
The ski patrol and emt`s of northstar and lifeflight did what thay were trained to do and this time it all came together with a young man surviving.
Cannot believe these are the same people a woman from Canada is blaming for the death of her husband a few days earlier. Every accident is different and have different injuries.
People put themseleves in harms way knowing they could get hurt or even worse killed.
If we didn`t enjoy the adventure, and known the dangers, we won`t even get out of bed.
Life is full of lessons and this young man will know better next time. Hopefully!!!
I don’t believe Northstar was involved with this accident. Northstar is the ambulance service for the local hospital. Lifefight is the helicopter service located in Lewiston and Bangor. To separate services.
Do you think Northstar responded, may have secured him and then enlisted the services of lifeflight based on his condition? Two separate services joining as one to assist somebody in need. Probably more probable than your insight. Just saying.
Your right Daniel, two separate services but if the helipad is not next to the Ski Patrols or Sugarloaf’s medical clinic the patient had to get to the helipad somehow.
How many more people are going to be injured or killed because of Sking and Snowboarding.
Something needs to be done! Outlaw Sking and Snowboarding, its not safe, skiersalso injure innocent people way to many times. I say take the skis away!!
How about being responsible for yourself?
….
Obviously not.
Take the cribbage boards away!!! The way some of those old farts throw their cards around, somebody’s gonna LOOSE AN EYE!! Oh, the humanity….
Yes-eliminate all physical activity and play it on the Wii- You can’t be serious. All those innocent people aimlessly roaming around the mountainside and BAM. Taken out by a god awful skiier/snowboarder. What is this world coming to.
It’s better to die doing something that you love than spending your life not doing anything for fear of getting hurt.
your absolutly correct these people would be much safer sitting at home in front of the fire burning a doobie.
Hoping for a speedy recovery for this young guy!
He is one tough man! Hope he has speedy recovery.
I’m glad to see the father isn’t blaming the ski area nor anyone else. Skiing and snowboarding are considered high risk sports, and basically it’s “let the participant beware”, which is absolutely fine, as the participants understand that they are in fact the responsible party. To many times, accident victims try to blame everyone else but themselves. I used to ski quite a bit in my younger days, took some pretty nasty falls now and then, and even slid into a tree once (thankfully wasn’t hurt to bad). But in all of this, I was the responsible person, and understood the risks.
I wish Nicolas the speediest of recoveries, and wish him will with his future.
Wonderful kind words for Lifeflight. Please don’t forget the absolutely critical role that ground EMS providers played in his outcome.
Wow!! He must be in alot of pain having so many injuries. My heart goes out to him and his family. So glad he is expected to make a full recovery.
Wonderful words for Lifeflight. Please don’t forget the absolutely critical role that ground EMS providers played in his outcome.
Wow, this man is so lucky to be alive. I bet his helmet saved his life.
Glad to hear this story is full of hope, unlike the skier who died last week.
We used to take “Wide World of Sports” type wipe outs every weekend on those old wooden jumps. We just had the good sense to careen in between the trees…