After side-by-side crash, local farmer shares his story to promote UTV, ATV safety

What started as a quick ride near his farm turned into a life-altering event for grain farmer Bo Bryant from Adams. While reaching to change the music, Bryant’s side-by-side UTV veered off the edge of the pavement at around 60 mph and rolled multiple times. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle.

Bryant does not remember the crash, likely from the head injury. All he knows for sure is how quickly this event changed his world forever.

Unconscious and hidden from view in a remote area, Bryant was first located by his friend and passenger who was buckled in. Bryant’s phone detected the crash and called emergency personnel, thanks to a critical “Call After Severe Crash” setting being on. This led 911 dispatchers and first responders to pinpoint the scene of the crash.

Due to fog, an air ambulance couldn’t fly. Bryant was transported by ground ambulance to TriStar NorthCrest Medical Center, where Dr. Love Anani and the emergency team stabilized him and placed him on a ventilator.

Recognizing the severity of his injuries, he was transferred to TriStar Skyline Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center, for continued critical care.

At TriStar Skyline, trauma specialists began lifesaving treatment. Bryant had suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the chest down, among other serious injuries. He spent 17 days in the ICU, underwent multiple procedures and began early rehabilitation.

The entire trauma team at TriStar Skyline went above and beyond to care for him. including Dr. Darrell Hunt and Dr. Scott Mandell along with nurses Bronson Corbin and Hannah Hutchinson.

“Hannah even picked up extra shifts to help care for me,” said Bryant. “That meant a lot to me and my family.”

Following his ICU stay, Bryant spent seven weeks in an intensive rehabilitation program in Atlanta and continues outpatient therapy. Though his recovery is ongoing, he’s determined to use his story to prevent others from experiencing the same tragedy.

ATVs and UTVs are not toys. Life would look incredibly different if Bryant had been wearing his seatbelt, a choice he lives with every day.

“My life changed in many ways that night, in some ways even for the better,” said Bryant.

As outdoor recreation continues through summer and into fall hunting season, TriStar Skyline urges all ATV and side-by-side riders to follow manufacturer safety guidelines, wear helmets and seatbelts and ride responsibly to avoid preventable injuries.