We are using CaringBridge to keep family and friends updated on Carson's condition in one place.

On Thursday, July 30, Carson Hudson experienced a catastrophic injury from a boating accident. A prop from a ski boat hit him in the left upper thigh. There was profound soft tissue damage, vascular damage, a severed sciatic and other nerves, broken, and dislocated knee, all tendons that held the hamstring in place were completely destroyed, and all the ligaments holding the knee together, gone.

Fortunately, we were able to get Carson to shore quickly, where the Colorado Park Rangers were waiting for us. The team was experienced enough to immediately get a tourniquet on his leg and begin packing the wound with coagulant. They saved his life, the first time. 

Shortly thereafter, a trauma paramedic team, what turns out to be one of the most experienced in Denver, took over. Carson lost a tremendous amount of blood and they almost lost him on the way to the hospital.  They saved his life a second time. 

What followed was an incredible team at Littleton Hospital descending on Carson to first keep him alive, then attempting to save his leg.  After five hours of surgery between orthopedic, trauma and vascular surgeons, Carson was stabilized.

Coming out of surgery he remained intubated, and thus could not talk to us.  He was incredibly drugged up between ketamine and fentanyl, so communication was hard, but by about 1am, the first question he asked by writing it down on a portable whiteboard was, “my leg?”  We told him we thought the team saved it.  His whole body momentarily relaxed.

His next question, “will I walk?”

And this is the question to which we do not yet have an answer.  We do know that if he does, he has a long road ahead of him to get there. we were just told by a team of 4 surgeons today, he has at least 20 surgeries aahead of him. I wish we were exagerating. we were floored. But we can also share with you that we have purpose and our purpose is to do everything in our power to help Carson heal.

Carson had a second surgery this afternoon for further wound cleaning, additional trauma assessment and the beginning of determining the process of the soft tissue repair (Hamstring, quadricep, tendons and who know what else). A nerve speciliast and plastic surgeon were both in on that investigation and were able to give us an honest assessment.

It seems at the moment that he is out of the woods from a vascular perspective as he has good blood flow through his leg and all his toes.  And there is a plan in place for the orthopedic aspect of his knee which will alone will require multiple surgeries over the next year. They have already repaired the IT band and patella tendon.  But there is so much left to be done.

So where we stand now is determining how to repair, or can the soft tissue be repaired in his upper leg. This is a very hard and very rare surgery due to the extent of tissue damange and nerve damage.  His nerves weren’t just cut cleanly, it was the propeller of a motorboat.

The team at Littleton hospital is made calls around the country and fortunately, one of the best trauma hospitals around who also have a nerve specialist team is Swedish hospital in Denver.

At minimum for soft tissue repair, he will need massive skin grafting and large sections removed from other locations on his body to close up what can only be described as a terrible wound.

Beyond that, whether he walks on this leg again will depend on the skill of the surgeons and whether Carson’s body will accept any efforts put forth.

At minimum, Carson has 20 surgeries in his future, but we hope and pray for the best possible outcomes. We are devastated that Carson won't be headed off to college in 12 days, as was his plan. That was the third question he asked last night. But we know his future, regardless of outcome from these surgeries, successful or not, has more courage, more resilience and more determination on the other side.

We are so grateful for all the love, all the prayers and all the Light sent to our beautiful and remarkably strong and brave Carson. And we thank you all for the support we have received from you thinking of us, Barrie, Matt and Hannah, as we try to remain strong for our son and brother.

Our only ask, is you carry not one thought of worry and instead find it within yourself and any community of people you can rally, to shower him with love, Light and whatever you believe Divine intervention may be. The number of prayer circles and chains we have been told about is an incredible honor and humbling.

I know there are already thousands of people praying for Carson and we thank you all so much. Maybe you’ve got one more prayer in you , one more message in a bottle. The depth of our gratitude may never be properly personally expressed, but we hope you feel it from us.   Right now, in this moment.

Forgive us as our energy fades at keeping people up-to-date by text message. From here forward, the vast majority of updating will be here, through CaringBridge.

All our gratitude,

Barrie, Hannah and Matt (and Neo and Josie-The Dogs).  Carson wrote on the white board at about 3am “I love you guys, and Hannah, and Neo and Josie.