KALISPELL — Mason Garey walked the same halls he was once wheeled through on a gurney.
It was an emotional homecoming nearly two years after he was struck by lightning following a soccer practice at Glacier High School. Garey was being honored in Logan Health Children’s Hospital’s Hall of Heroes, which highlights the stories of former patients who have recovered from their illness or injuries.
WATCH THE STORY:
“Hope plays a big part. I feel like if you have no hope to go forward, you're just going to stay where you're at,” Garey said. “Since they gave me all the hope I could have possible, then I kept ascending and getting better.”
Garey and two others were struck by lightning on Aug. 19, 2024. All three were transported to Logan Health, and the other two were released from the hospital the next day. Garey, however, remained in the ICU for three weeks and wasn't discharged from the hospital until Sept. 30.
Dr. Tim Stidham, who treated Garey for months, said it was a miracle he survived the incident.
“Mason is just a reminder that, you know, anything is possible and you can overcome insurmountable odds,” Dr. Stidham said. “When I first met Mason was in the emergency room, and he had been getting 20 minutes of CPR and needed an additional 20 minutes, which typically is not something you come back from.”
After Garey left Logan Health, he and his family moved back to Nebraska to be closer to family.
When Garey was invited back to the Flathead Valley to highlight his recovery progress, his parents, Cole and Chelsey, reflected on how far he has come in two years.
“I think it's very humbling,” Cole Garey said. “Logan Health gave very, very good care to our son during this whole horrific situation.”
“We're thankful for first responders and the staff, and what a difference almost two years makes,” Chelsey Garey said. “We're really proud of Mason, and he's worked really hard.”
When news about Garey’s incident broke, people from the Flathead Valley and others across the country helped raise more than $75,000 for Garey’s medical expenses.
The generous financial support has helped him work toward one day taking the soccer pitch again.
“It would mean the world. I've been working hard every day since this all happened,” Garey said, "working towards that goal to be on the field again.”
