Albert Sanchez

Albert Sanchez still remembers the moment everything changed.

The 68-year-old was at home doing yard work when he decided to take care of a few dry mesquite trees. He set up a ladder; made sure it felt secure and climbed up with his saw and gloves. But when he reached the top, the ladder tipped.

Sanchez fell about 15 feet.

He lay on the ground for nearly 30 minutes, calling out for help until a neighbor heard him and came to his aid. Unable to move, Sanchez asked him to call 911 and get his wife. When emergency responders arrived, they quickly realized the seriousness of his injuries.

“They told me, ‘This is going to hurt, so brace yourself,’” Sanchez recalled. “When they moved my leg, the pain was just terrible.”

Because of the extent of his injuries, Sanchez was flown to University Hospital in San Antonio for trauma care. In those frightening moments, he said, he was not sure what would happen next.

“I saw the blades moving slowly, and I saw the clouds,” he said. “I thought, ‘Oh, I’m going up to heaven.’ I told God, ‘If you’re taking me, let me see all my grandkids before you take me.’”

That prayer stayed with him through the early days of his recovery. After receiving acute treatment, Sanchez came to Methodist Rehabilitation Hospital Texsan, where he began the hard work of healing.

By the time of his interview, Sanchez had spent nearly two weeks at MRHT and was preparing for discharge. He said the care team helped him move forward after a traumatic accident and difficult hospital stay.

Now, instead of focusing on the fear and pain of the fall, Sanchez is focused on what matters most: getting stronger and getting back to his family.

He and his wife live in Carrizo Springs, about two hours from San Antonio, but the distance has not stopped his loved ones from showing up. Sanchez said visits and calls from the family have kept his spirits up throughout recovery.

His two sons, five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter have all been part of that support system. One grandson who lives in South Dakota could not make the trip, but Sanchez said he has called four or five times to check in.

“My grandkids love me,” Sanchez said. “They’re always looking out for me.”

Most of all, he is grateful that he got the answer to the prayer he made in the helicopter.

“I got to see my grandkids,” he said, “and I’m doing a lot better.”

That love, combined with the care he received at MRHT, has helped carry him through one of the hardest moments of his life. After a devastating fall and days of uncertainty, Sanchez said he is grateful to be improving and grateful for the chance to return home.