Paraplegic Veteran Survives After Parachute Gets Stuck in Wheelchair During Skydiving Accident

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PEOPLE: Michael Vasquez, a U.S. Army veteran who lost the use of his legs after being wounded in 2009, survived a terrifying skydiving accident in Texas when his main parachute became tangled in his wheelchair and his reserve parachute failed to deploy; a semi-inflated chute slowed him enough to survive the impact, though he suffered a fractured femur and multiple spinal fractures.

Dr. Shashank Gandhi, using minimally invasive surgical techniques, was able to stabilize Vasquez’s spine to prevent further risk to his spinal cord—approaches intended to reduce muscle damage, pain, and speed recovery. He notes that once the fractures heal, the screws and rods could potentially be removed. Vasquez, also a competitive hand cyclist, has returned to skydiving.