Ohio State trooper Jason Philips was seven months out of academy when he was hit by a wrong-way driver that sent him to the E.R. in critical condition. His family, fellow troopers, and community offered up prayers for his recovery and after ... ...
Read Transcript
- [Dispatcher] Delaware 59 to units,
a possible O.V.I. 71 at the 154 North.
- [Policeman] 1559 in route.
(tires screeching)
- [Narrator] Ohio stateTrooper, Jason Phillips,
was still a rookie whenhe responded to the call.
A suspected impaired driver,
headed south in the northbound lane.
(tires screeching)(metal crashing)
- [Dispatcher] State Highway Patrol.
- [Caller] The statetrooper's car's on fire and
I think might burn alive.
- [Narrator] The wrong way driver
had collided head-onwith the young trooper,
leaving Jason unconsciousand trapped inside.
A few cars behind was former Army medic,
Sergeant First Class, Joe Yeichner.
- Once I pushed the window open,
within 30 seconds after getting Jason out,
the driver seat was in flames.
- [Narrator] Joe stabilizedJason's neck for 15 minutes
until EMS and other troopers arrived.
- Bleeding from hisright arm, his shoulder,
but his right leg was a mess.
Buddy, you're gonna be all right.
Your brothers and sisters are here.
There's other troopers here.
Relax, you're okay.
- [Narrator] Jason was life-flighted
to the Ohio State UniversityWexner Medical Center.
Two hours later,
two state troopers visited Jason's parents
to give them the news.
- [Jason] Mind if we talk to you inside?
I looked at them, I said, "I don't know.
I don't know if I want you to."
So, was it fatal?
And they said, "No, critical."
- Lord, you're gonna haveto give me peace in this,
'cause I don't understand all this.
How does this bring you glory in this?
- [Narrator] By then, Jasonwas comatosed and intubated.
The first 72 hours were critical.
- Burns to the right sideof his head and neck.
He had multiple injuriesto his arms and his legs.
He had some internal bleeding.
He also had a traumatic brain injury.
The most unknown parameterin all of this is
how he will recover with hisrespect to his brain injury.
His mortality was very high.
- [Narrator] Meanwhile,the hospital waiting room
was filling up with fellowtroopers and friends
offering support and prayer.
It will be a long, hard fightand they needed a miracle.
- God, I can't do this, I can't do this.
I don't know what is goingon, but I need your help.
- [Narrator] Just seven months prior,
Jason had graduatedfrom the Patrol Academy
with hopes of making a difference.
Now, he was lying unresponsive
in the surgery intensive care unit.
- God, either all your word'strue or it's all a lie.
If one thing fails, it all fails.
I choose to trust you.
If you take him, I'll still praise you.
- [Narrator] Jason pulledthrough the first 72 hours.
Yet, even with the expert care,he still needed a miracle.
The people offering prayersthrough social media
reached the hundreds of thousands.
- Just like God wouldjust come and lift me up
and I'd tell him, "Wow, I could feel it."
And God was letting meknow, it's gonna be okay.
- Don't give up on me.
Don't you dare stop fighting.
Fight, and God is here with you.
- [Narrator] After sixdays in the hospital,
Jason opened his eyes.
Although minimally conscious,
with the effects of hisbrain injury unknown,
it was the first sign of hope.
- And I said, "Look fromwhat I see right now,
I don't think we should give up.
We're gonna do everything we can
and that you should have faith
in the fact that wethink there's a chance."
- I was thankful that God allowed me
to see his beautiful eyes again.
- [Narrator] Nearly three weeks later,
Jason was moved to OSU's rehab facility.
The staff would evaluate Jason's cognition
through a 23-point emergence test.
He had to pass all 23
to be declared fully conscious or emerged.
- They said, "Maybe sixmonths he might wake up,
maybe a year, maybe never.
Oh, if he does, he'llnever be normal again."
And it's like, no, youdon't understand God.
- [Narrator] One day, while asking his son
specific questions, Jason Sr.knew something was different.
- I pointed to everybodyin the room and said,
"He's emerged, he's awake."
Well, how do you know?
Because I know my son, that's how I know.
- [Narrator] On August 9th,
Jason was officially declared emerged.
Then on August 27th,
only two months afterthe crash, he went home.
Jason continues to improve daily
and lives life todaywith joy and gratitude.
- [Jason] Feels so goodto walk through that door.
- Policeman] Yeah.
- It's not even two yearsago that he was near death.
I describe that kind ofresilience, that kind
of recovery with two simplewords, gratitude and humility.
- And although Jason hasn'treturned to the patrol,
he and his family take comfort in knowing
that through Christ,all things are possible.
- I know where my help comes from.
It comes from God.
I know there's othersout there that feel that
there's no hope, butthen they see my story.
They'll have hope.
- [Tina] I have great joy because I know
that God has so much more for him.
- [Jason] Prayer is wherewe drew our strength,
prayer is where we put our faith in.
Everything that theysaid that he might lose
he still has, prayeris what changed things.
- It's not over until God says it is.