Fifteen-year-old Ryan Wheat suffered four spinal fractures after his snowmobile hit a stump and flew over a 30-foot ledge on Jan. 20. He waited about three hours for rescuers before being airlifted to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, where surgeons installed 14 screws and two rods. Ryan remains hospitalized but has shown early signs of progress—he can stand and walk short distances with assistance—and his family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover medical and rehab costs. His mother reports he is off oxygen and morphine but remains on pain medication and experiences dizziness from the drugs.
Alaska Teen Survives Severe Snowmobile Crash — Back Broken In Four Places After Machine Flies Over 30‑Foot Ledge
Ryan Wheat was airlifted to hospital following the incidentGoFundMe
Fifteen-year-old Ryan Wheat of Alaska is recovering in hospital after a serious snowmobile accident on Jan. 20 that left him with multiple spinal fractures.
Accident and Rescue
Wheat told Anchorage station KTUU that he was climbing a hill on a snowmobile and planned to coast down the far side when his track "caught a stump." The machine launched him roughly 15 feet over the hill and then went off a 30-foot ledge; Wheat estimates the total fall at about 35–40 feet.
"I was climbing over a hill. I was planning to let off and coast down the other side of it and when I got to the top … my track caught on a stump," Wheat said. "It launched me about 15 feet up over the hill and I fell about 35, 40 feet."
Wheat's father, Mike Wheat, who was nearby, initially thought his son had only the wind knocked out of him. After about 10 minutes he realized the situation was more serious. Wheat remained on the slope for roughly three hours before rescuers reached him and he was airlifted to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.
Injuries and Treatment
Doctors found that Ryan had broken his back in four places. Surgeons stabilized his spine by inserting 14 screws and two rods. He remains hospitalized while he begins recovery and rehabilitation; his family says the road ahead will be long but that he has shown encouraging early progress.
Ryan's mother, Amber Wheat, described the first phone call as "one of those phone calls that no mom ever wants to get." She said Ryan told her himself that his back was broken and that she rushed to Anchorage.
Recovery Update and Family Support
In a Jan. 26 update Amber reported that a drainage tube had been removed, giving Ryan some relief. He was taken off oxygen and morphine but remains on muscle relaxers and other pain medications, and the family says he still experiences dizziness and nausea from the drugs. Despite this, Amber said he has been able to stand and walk short distances with assistance and has even begun making jokes again.
Ryan's aunt, Nancy Beratto, set up a GoFundMe to help cover medical and rehabilitation costs. According to the campaign, witnesses say Ryan "wasn't riding fast or recklessly" when the crash occurred. The fundraiser has raised nearly $10,000 toward a $12,000 goal.
Note: Updates and quotes in this article are drawn from local coverage by KTUU and family statements shared via GoFundMe and social media.
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