Philip Pohle was clearing storm debris when a tree branch forced his skull away from his spine.
HOCKING COUNTY, Ohio — A 32-year-old state park maintenance worker survived a rare internal decapitation after a front loader accident while clearing fallen trees from a roadway at Hocking Hills State Park in March.
Philip Pohle, a father of two, was working at the park when his foot became stuck on the gas pedal of the machine. A large tree branch was forced into his neck, leaving him trapped and badly injured. Doctors later said the injury often kills victims before they reach a hospital.
Pohle said he knew the situation was severe as he sat trapped inside the front loader. “I started thinking of my children because it was really nice being a dad,” Pohle said. “I just thought how much I was going to miss them, miss my babies.” State natural resource officers reached him and stabilized his neck with a brace while crews worked to cut away the tree branch.
The branch was estimated at six to eight inches across. An ambulance was about 20 minutes away, and weather kept a medical helicopter from flying. Crews used a chainsaw to free Pohle while trying not to worsen the injury. He was taken to Grant Medical Center in Columbus, where surgeons used plates, screws and rods to hold his skull and spine in place.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Victor Awuor said the injury, known as internal decapitation, is often fatal. “About 50% of the patients with this kind of injury die at the scene,” Awuor said. He said many survivors who reach a hospital face paralysis. Pohle’s recovery was unusually strong, with doctors saying they feared he might not walk again.
Less than a month after the accident, Pohle was walking without help. He said he likely would have died if he had been working alone that day. His recovery has drawn attention because of both the force of the injury and the speed of his progress after surgery.
Pohle said he hopes to return to work. A fundraiser was created to help his family with medical bills as he continues recovering from the March accident.
Author note: Last updated July 6, 2026.