An Arkansas man who was almost beheaded during a horrific duck hunting accident remains gravely-ill in hospital.
Ben Whorton, 21, suffered a traumatic brain injury when the boat he was on went under a bridge and he raised his head too soon, which left him fighting for his life.
His best friend Zac Raines spoke to FOX16 about the horrifying moments immediately after the accident in Little Rock on January 10.
‘On our way out, we were going up underneath a bridge, and Ben raised his head a little too soon,’ Raines told the local news outlet.
Raines said he began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation immediately after Whorton was struck by the bridge.
He then had to make a heartbreaking call to Whorton’s parents informing them of the tragedy.
Because it was snowing, it was difficult for first-responders to reach the scene and decide which hospital to take him to.
Doctors at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences were initially unsure if Whorton would make it.
His mom told ABC 7 that the weeks in the ICU were ‘kind of spent precariously hanging onto life somewhat where we had lung issues that were life-threatening.’
Duck hunter Ben Whorton, 21, is recuperating after he was was nearly decapitated when he raised his head too quickly as the boat he was on went under a bridge in Little Rock, Arkansas
Whorton spent seven weeks in the ICU, where doctors were not sure whether he would survive
After showing improvement, Whorton was given the green light to travel to a prestigious rehab facility in Houston, Texas, last week
Whorton eventually started showing gradual improvements and became more responsive. After seven weeks at the Intensive Care Unit, Whorton was given the green light to transfer to a world-renowned rehabilitation center in Houston, Texas, the TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehab Center.
Since being transferred last week, Whorton was able to communicate with his family by turning his head to signal yes and no, according to his dad Greg.
‘They will actually get him out of bed and put him in a wheelchair and that is part of the waking up process,’ Greg added of the prestigious rehab center.
‘It has been amazing and certainly lifted our spirits and helped strengthen our faith.’
Whorton’s girlfriend Macie Petty has been by his side since the accident and often shares images and updates of his recovery.
‘One thing that we have learned at TIRR is that Ben hasn’t been in a coma in weeks,’ Petty wrote on Wednesday.
‘According to the neuropsychologist, Ben hadn’t been given the optimal situation to show how awake he is. I’m so thankful that God stepped in and gave us the confidence to trust Him despite what we were being told.
‘I hope Ben’s story encourages other families to do the same for the person they love because God always has the final say.’
Whorton’s girlfriend, whose hands is pictured, said she was informed that he has been more awake over the last weeks than his family previously believed
Whorton’s girlfriend Macie Petty has remained by his side throughout his recovery
Whorton’s family hopes his treatment in Texas allows him to eventually walk out on his own
Whorton’s family now wants to spread awareness about boating and hunting dangers
The young man’s family now wants to warn others about the dangers of boating and hunting.
‘When you go under a bridge, that is a no-wake zone,’ Greg told KARK. ‘Ben is probably where he is because they were probably going too fast when they went under it.’
Whorton’s family created a Facebook page called ‘Ben’s Army’ that has grown to over 25,000 members.
A GoFundMe page has raised over $90,000 for Whorton and his family.