The drive that almost killed Chase Wetterow nearly three years ago has now given him the drive to flourish at a second chance at life.
The recent Windsor High School grad was told he may spend the rest of his life in wheelchair following a serious car accident in September 2013. However, since that time, not only did he surprise doctors with his ability to walk, he has shocked an entire town with his athletic prowess during a comeback that won’t be soon forgotten.
“Breaking school records like that I thought was one in a million. It was crazy when I saw that,” said St. Luke’s surgeon Dr. Jonathan Dubin.
Dubin operated on Chase for nearly eight hours following the car accident, installing five plates and 19 screws into the teen’s crushed pelvis.
“It’s really hard to get a normal gait after something like this, especially involving both sides,” said Dubin.
Chase was one of four teens who had to be airlifted to Kansas City hospitals following the accident. Chase was riding backseat with his pregnant girlfriend without their seatbelts, while another friend sat passenger up front and another young friend was behind the wheel.
“They were coming down a hill at 70 miles an hour, and they hit a loose patch of gravel,” said Melanie Miller, Chase’s mom.
The car lost control while on a rural road just outside of town. Chase and his girlfriend were thrown from the vehicle.
“The car was turning, I was looking out the glass, and grass was coming through the window while everyone’s heads were whipping around. I was like, ‘Wow,’” said Chase.
Chase doesn’t remember much after first responders arrived. But after surviving the crash, the most difficult news came when he was told his athletic career would likely be over.
“I think he cried for two hours. He was hysterical,” said Miller.
Chase said, “I didn’t want to end up being 80 at 18.”
After three months in a hospital bed, Chase surprised doctors with his ability to walk with ease down a St. Luke’s hallway. By spring, he was playing varsity baseball. And by fall, he was back on the football field for the Battle of the Greyhounds.
Miller was concerned for her son’s safety, until Chase scored a touchdown off a 53-yard pass his first play back on the field.
“And all of us stood here and like, just couldn’t breathe. Just right off the bat, and then we knew he’d be OK,” said Miller.
Still playing with back fractures that could never be fixed, and experiencing chronic pain, Chase led the Greyhounds to their first playoff win in school history during his senior season, scoring four touchdowns in the game.
And adding to Chase’s letterman’s jacket, a slew of medals from track and field, the most recent being the javelin.
Not only did Chase set a new school record for the event at Windsor’s last home meet of the year, he ranked as high as fifth in the state.
“It’s kind of symbolic, a metaphor for how he’s been all along. You see something, you have an expectation, he always seems to overcome the expectation,” said Dubin.
Chase finished top 10 at the state meet in Jefferson City on May 20. However, his greatest accomplishment may be as a father.
“She is what we call our miracle baby,” said Miller.
Also not expected to survive the 2013 car crash was Chase's daughter, Laynee Faith, who is now healthy and 2 years old.
Laynee’s mother suffered a broken back from the accident and opted to avoid surgery for the remainder of the pregnancy to improve the odds of the baby’s survival.
It's no question that part of Chase’s motivation to succeed is rooted in his daughter.
“I know it’s going to help Laynee out in the future. So that’s the way to form her life and help her out and maybe fix some things I didn’t have when I was younger,” said Wetterow
Miller feels the same.
“I guess they have to show her that regardless what you go through in life, you have to keep going,” she said.
Chase enlisted in the Air Force last month. He starts his training July 18 for security forces.
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Josh Helmuth can be reached at josh.helmuth@kshb.com
