‘He is fighting for his life every minute’: Seattle man in ICU after breaking his neck swimming in Mexico
Evan Griffis is not expected to be able to walk again, but with physical therapy he may be able to use his arm.
PUERTO VALLARTA, Jalisco – A Seattle man is fighting for his life in a Mexican hospital and it all started with a swim.
“It’s hard. Seeing your brother in the ICU connected, tell him you love him just in case,” says Adam Griffis. “I don’t expect that to happen to anyone.”
Evan, Griffis’ brother, is fighting for his life in a hospital in Puerto Vallarta. The 30-year-old was swimming in the sea on Sunday when he was hit by the waves and broke his neck.
“It must have been a lucky accident. a wave hit him from behind, and immediately pushed him to the bottom of the sea, where he hit his head, broke two vertebrae,” Griffis said.
Adam said his brother had no brain damage and was able to understand what was happening and what people told him.
“Evan is very strong and a good swimmer,” Griffis said. “You don’t think about it, you don’t expect it. And when it happens, your whole world is turned upside down pretty quickly.”
Evan was rushed to the hospital and underwent a successful 11-hour spine surgery and his family rushed to his side from Seattle.
“He’s still in the ICU with an incredible amount of swelling in and around his spinal cord, still life-threatening to this point,” Griffis said.
Doctors told his family Evan had a 70% chance of survival, but in the long run is expected to never walk again. With physical therapy, Evan will be able to use his arm.
Griffis said his brother is still in good spirits.
Griffis said: “Evan has been a champ in all of that, and saying I love you to my brother means the whole world to me this morning and having him look me in the eye can mean the whole world to me this morning. absolute meaning to the whole world.
Griffis said his brother Evan is a travel enthusiast and went to Puerto Vallarta to celebrate Pride.
The Griffis family has received tens of thousands of dollars in donations to help cover medical costs.
“Honestly, it’s been amazing to see all the communities in Evan’s life come together to help him and I think it’s part of honoring him, and we’re just fighting him. ,” said Griffis.
Evan is expected to be in the ICU for a week. The next step is for him to start breathing on his own. His family believes that he will recover and be able to go home soon. Griffis is confident that his brother can still celebrate the wedding in August.
“We have a long journey ahead of us. but as a family we will get through that in the years to come,” Griffis said.
The family established a fundraiser to help cover medical expenses.
