Bruce Utley was on his dream vacation in Curaçao with his wife, Patricia, when paradise suddenly turned into a nightmare.
On the second day of their trip, the Utleys decided to do an off-road buggy excursion. The couple rode along with twelve other buggies for a guided tour, traveling single file with one guide at the front and another at the rear. Without warning, the lead guide’s buggy crashed, causing a chain reaction.
“I knew there were risks,” Bruce said. “I just didn’t expect this to happen.”
Bruce and Patricia’s buggy slammed into the one in front of them. Seconds later, still in his seat, Bruce experienced a seizure. Patricia unbuckled to help her husband, but as his body convulsed, his foot accidentally pressed the buggy’s gas pedal. The vehicle lurched forward, throwing Patricia out of the buggy and knocking her unconscious. The buggy’s acceleration drove Bruce into the buggy ahead again, but with more force.
The Utleys were taken to a local hospital, where doctors discovered that the second collision had broken Bruce’s spine in two places.
“I was worried about him being able to walk again at all,” Patricia said.
What should have been six days of relaxing walks on the beach or soaking in the island’s natural beauty turned into a hospital stay full of unknowns. Patricia had only suffered minor injuries from the crash, but Bruce needed more advanced care than the island hospital could provide. It quickly became clear that he needed to be transported back to the U.S. Utley’s family rallied and worked with the local hospital to devise a plan to get him back home.
That’s when the pieces began to fall into place. Bruce’s son contacted Bruce’s primary care physician, Brook Massey, M.D., with UofL Physicians – Primary Care, and explained the situation. Dr. Massey coordinated with Thomas Altstadt, M.D., FAANS, a neurosurgeon with UofL Physicians – Neurosurgery, a part of UofL Health – Brain & Spine Institute, to have Dr. Altstadt evaluate Bruce’s condition and map out next steps.
The evaluation showed that Bruce had sustained a spine fracture, breaking his L1 and T12 vertebrae. Dr. Altstadt explained that these small bones support the body, allow bending and twisting and protect the spinal cord and its nerve roots.
“Injury to this area of the spine could result in a disruption of function to the nerves in your hips, legs and feet,” Dr. Altstadt said.
Like anyone in his position, Bruce wanted to know what would come next. Would he be able to walk again or pick up his grandchildren? The neurosurgeon assured Utley that, with surgery, he expected him to make a near-perfect recovery.
On Feb. 11, 2025, Dr. Altstadt and his team performed a spinal procedure known as a thoracolumbar fusion. The next day, Utley stood on his own.
“As local leaders in the treatment of traumatic spine fractures, we bring a dedicated team with specialized training to every case,” Dr. Altstadt explained. “Our comprehensive care team of surgeons, doctors, nurses and therapists delivers high-quality post-operative care, and we take pride in getting our patients back to what matters most to them.”
About a week after his surgery, Utley was discharged from the hospital under strict orders to rest for a week and then slowly ease back into normal activities. Today, he is thriving, spending time with his wife, their children and their grandchildren.
“I can do just about anything I want to do,” Utley said.
He is thankful for his UofL Health care team for helping with his recovery and going above and beyond for him and his family.
When asked what advice he would give to someone in a similar situation, he said simply, “Go see Dr. Altstadt.”
If you have a back injury or back pain, UofL Health is here to help. Call 502-588-2160 today to schedule a consultation with a neurosurgeon.
