IRON COUNTY, MI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A Coleman man has made an incredible recovery after a tree fell on him while deer hunting in the U.P., causing a severe injury.
On Nov. 17, Ed Mongin, 81, was hunting with a group of 10 others on federal land in Iron County, Michigan. The group was familiar with the area and were using radios to stay in communication.
When Mongin didn’t answer, the group went to his hunting location and found a tree that had blown down in a windstorm, had fell on top of him.
Two Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation officers met the hunting party north of Smoky Lake Road, east of the Pendleton Creek, who led them about one mile into the woods to Mongin’s location.
Mongin told authorities he thought he was paralyzed and that they shouldn’t move him.
The conservation officers determined that an ambulance would not be able to make it through the muddy, swamp terrain so the two officers met EMS personnel along Smoky Lake Road and transported them with their medical equipment on the back of their DNR patrol truck to Mongin’s location.
Members from the hunting group cleared trees to make a path.
EMS and officers provided first-aid treatment at the scene for head and possible spinal injuries, and securely placed Mongin on a backboard, then on the back of the patrol truck.
Once out to the main road, one of the conservation officers drove the ambulance so both EMS workers could tend to Mongin.
Mongin was later transported from Aspirus Iron River Hospital via EMS MedEvac helicopter to a hospital in Wausau for further treatment.
Doctor’s originally told Mongin’s family that he was lucky to be alive and probably would not walk again following head and vertebrae surgery.
Several days later, Mongin regained mobility in all limbs, stood up for the first time and was able to have a conversation.
His doctors described his recovery as “miraculous.”
Hunter Mike Kinziger of Pound, thanked the two conservation officers, Alex VanWagner and Kyle Romzek, for their help in a letter.
“Our camp members want to thank VanWagner and Romzek for their effort and professionalism, They responded in a very timely manner to a remote location. They not only coordinated with several members of the hunting party in a somewhat chaotic and stressful situation but worked hand-and-hand [sic] with the two EMS personnel out of Iron River,” Kinziger wrote.
Mongin has since started physical rehab and therapy.
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