Tred Barta paralyzed

[Texsun]

Apparently several months ago he had a spinal stroke causing paralysis from the waist down. Anybody know the latest?...Tred's a class act and I hope he pulls through.

 

[DCortez]

From Wiki:


Tred Barta is a hunter, fisherman, and general outdoorsman, who hosts The Best and Worst of Tred Barta on the Versus Channel.[1] As a fisherman, Tred has amassed several world records, some still current. He is best known in this area, catching more Big Eye tuna on rod and reel than any other man alive.[2]
Tred’s motto is to do things “the hard way, the Barta way.” When hunting, he eschews modern contrivances and overly sentimental views of nature and favors a “common man” approach grounded in respect for animals he hunts and the view that the pursuit can be as meaningful as killing the animal. In keeping with this, Tred does not consider a hunt a failure simply because no game is taken. In addition, he usually hunts with a longbow and homemade cedar arrows, which makes taking game much more difficult.[3]
Tred has used his bow and arrows on his show to take several big game species, including bear, elk, and moose. He has used a handgun when pursuing wounded game (a wild boar) into thick brush, and a guide with a gun is often present during his hunts. Nonetheless, Tred’s methods leave him in close proximity to animals that could harm him seriously, perhaps fatally, and involve a level of danger significantly higher than that faced by hunters employing modern weapons.
On may 18, tred was paralyzed from the chest down in a spinal stroke[1]. Here is a article published May 20, 2009 from sportfishingmag.com:

Just got off phone with Tred Barta and wife Anni. He had packed to travel to Alaska for a bear hunt for his TV show. Put his bag in his truck, Returned to house and then on way back to truck felt loss of feeling in his left leg. Decided to walk up mountainside behind house to make sure he could handle the rigors of hunting in Alaska before getting on plane. Condition worsened, so he immediately went to doctor. Doctor ordered ambulance to take him to hospital where MRI, CT scan, etc determined he'd suffered a spinal "Stroke." Quite rare – afflicting approximately 12 of 100,000 people in the U.S. each year.
​

Within four hours, he had completely lost feeling in both legs up to a point halfway between his chest and navel.
Tred and Anni seem to be taking turns being supportive and dejected. Fortunately, they seem to balance each other that way. He will soon be transferred to Craig Rehab Center in Denver. Craig is a non-profit freestanding hospital that has been rated every year in the Top Ten Rehabilitation Hospitals by US News and World Report since the ratings began eighteen years ago. Craig Hospital .
Though last night was tough, today finds some encouraging signs. He has been able to respond to stimulus causing his toes to curl. The paralysis has lowered to about navel level. He seems to have regained some slight sensation in his right leg. Results of blood and spinal fluid tests also seem encouraging.
I will continue to keep in touch with him and will pass along news as warranted so as to not have EVERYONE contacting him all the time. He seems remarkably positive and upbeat this morning. Keep them in your thoughts and please live YOUR life as though this could happen to you tomorrow!

 

[Shorts]

Wow, that's rough. Though its good he is seeing some improvements. The catch is, the faster you can start feeling the changes, the better. I've been there, numb and powerless from the waist down. Feeling can come back in a matter of days. As soon as you can feel you HAVE to start trying to move with PT and sheer guts and anger or else you begin to lose muscle strength and coordination that won't ever come back.

Well, I wish him the best. Reading this post takes me back to my SCI days and they weren't all good.