On a quiet April afternoon, 16-year-old David Sample returned home from school to an unusual scene—his four siblings were gone, leaving the backyard trampoline all to himself. A skilled and adventurous athlete, David saw the opportunity to practice tricks without interruption. He set his sights on perfecting a double front flip, a maneuver he had tried many times before, but never landed.

With each attempt, he pushed a little harder. His mom, who had just gone to the barn to feed the animals, suddenly heard her husband shout “Crystal, David needs you!” David had become disoriented mid-air, under-rotated, and landed on the trampoline mat in a way that would change everything.

David didn’t feel pain—only confusion. His legs, he thought, were pressed against the trampoline net, but when he looked down, they were lying limp at his side. His parents, both nearby, rushed to him. “Why are my legs there?” he asked, trying to move. His arm flopped against his face when he attempted to lift it. In that instant, his mom, an experienced nurse, knew this was serious.

An EMS crew from Milton Freewater Rural Fire Department arrived within minutes, taking David to Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla. Imaging revealed devastating news: a fractured C5 vertebra and a burst fracture at C6, with fragments pressing into his spinal cord. Immediate intervention was essential.

St. Mary’s knew David required rapid critical care transport to definitive care and activated Life Flight Network. Two Life Flight crews worked in tandem to help David: one transported him from the hospital to the airport, and the second flew him aboard a fixed-wing aircraft to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Along the way, the flight paramedic caring for David shared his own recovery story from a C6 fracture, giving David a glimpse of hope for his future.

At Harborview, David underwent urgent surgery before beginning a long road of rehabilitation. By early May, he transferred to a specialized rehab center in Colorado, where his days were filled with physical therapy, occupational therapy, and connecting with other teens facing similar injuries.

Then, a breakthrough: three months after his accident, David curled his toes—on purpose—for the first time. “It was amazing,” he says. “It started a new fire in me. God’s working here, and I’m going to walk out of here.”

Though his recovery continues, David carries with him deep gratitude for the Life Flight Network teams who made sure he reached the right care, quickly. “They made me and my family feel safe and less scared,” he says. “I’ll always appreciate that.”