dq. Bad News About Hunter: Severe Arm Bleeding, Collapse, and Emergency Surgery Required

What began as an ordinary Saturday afternoon quickly turned into a terrifying race against time.

Hunter Collins, 29, was spending the weekend helping a friend repair fencing on a rural property just outside town. The project was routine — replacing warped boards, reinforcing posts, clearing brush. Nothing about the day suggested it would end in flashing emergency lights and a frantic rush to the operating room.

But in a matter of seconds, everything changed.

According to witnesses, Hunter was using a handheld power saw to trim a thick wooden beam when the tool unexpectedly jerked. The blade slipped, cutting deeply into his left forearm. At first, those nearby thought it was a minor injury — a bad gash, painful but manageable.

Then the bleeding started.

“It was immediate and intense,” said Daniel Morris, who was working beside him. “There was so much blood. We knew right away this wasn’t just a cut.”

The wound had severed a major artery.

Hunter instinctively grabbed his arm, but blood poured through his fingers and onto the ground. Within moments, his skin turned pale and his breathing grew shallow. Someone called 911 while another friend applied pressure using a clean shirt. Realizing the bleeding wouldn’t slow, they improvised a tourniquet using a belt — tightening it above the injury in a desperate attempt to stop the flow.

Those quick actions likely saved his life.

But the blood loss had already taken a serious toll.

Witnesses say Hunter tried to stay conscious, nodding and responding faintly as his friends urged him to hold on. Then he collapsed.

“He just went down,” Morris recalled. “We kept talking to him, telling him help was coming.”

Paramedics arrived within minutes, though for those waiting, it felt like an eternity. Emergency responders immediately recognized the severity of the trauma. They administered fluids, secured the tourniquet properly, and prepared Hunter for rapid transport.

During the ambulance ride, his condition remained unstable. Blood pressure had dropped dangerously low — a classic sign of hypovolemic shock caused by significant blood loss.

At Memorial Regional Hospital, a trauma team was already on standby.

Hunter was rushed straight into emergency surgery.

According to hospital officials, surgeons worked for nearly three hours to repair the damaged artery and control internal bleeding. The procedure required delicate vascular reconstruction to restore proper circulation to his arm.

“Timing was critical,” said Dr. Laura Bennett, the lead trauma surgeon. “Severe arterial injuries can become life-threatening very quickly. Rapid first aid and immediate surgical intervention were essential in this case.”

Doctors were able to successfully repair the artery and stabilize Hunter’s condition. However, the injury also affected surrounding muscle tissue, and there are concerns about potential nerve involvement. Specialists say it may take weeks — possibly months — to fully understand the extent of long-term impact.

For now, Hunter remains in the intensive care unit under close observation.

Family members describe the ordeal as surreal.

“One minute he’s working outside, laughing,” said his sister, Megan Collins. “The next minute we’re being told he’s in surgery and they don’t know how much blood he’s lost.”

She added that doctors told them the makeshift tourniquet applied by friends made a significant difference. Without it, Hunter might not have survived long enough to reach the hospital.

Medical professionals emphasize that power tools, while common in home improvement projects, carry serious risks. Proper safety measures — including protective gear, secure footing, and ensuring tools are functioning correctly — are essential. Even then, accidents can happen in an instant.

Hunter’s friends, still shaken, say they never imagined something so routine could turn so severe.

“We’ve done projects like this dozens of times,” Morris said. “You don’t think it’s going to be the day everything changes.”

As Hunter begins his recovery, the focus now shifts to rehabilitation. Restoring strength and mobility in his arm will require physical therapy and ongoing monitoring. Doctors are cautiously optimistic but warn that recovery from major vascular injuries is rarely simple.

Despite the fear and uncertainty, there is overwhelming gratitude.

“He’s alive,” his sister said quietly. “That’s what matters.”

Community members have rallied around the family, offering support and organizing assistance for medical expenses and time away from work. Messages of encouragement continue to pour in, many describing Hunter as hardworking, kind, and always willing to help others — a quality that put him on that job site in the first place.

The incident serves as a sobering reminder of how quickly life can shift.

In the span of a single afternoon, an ordinary task became a life-threatening emergency. A routine weekend project turned into a fight for survival.

But thanks to quick-thinking friends, rapid emergency response, and skilled surgical care, Hunter has a chance to heal.

The road ahead may be long, but for now, the most important outcome remains clear:

He made it through.