Princeton man with Elk River tree service paralyzed after 30-foot fall while on the job

by Chloe Smith

APG of East Central Minnesota/Union Times

A Princeton man was paralyzed from the waist down after falling from a tree on a job site on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Michael Hanson, owner of Hanson’s Tree Service and Landscaping based in Elk River, was performing a routine tree climb on a job site when the accident occurred.

According to a GoFundMe page organized by Hanson’s family members, Hanson fell approximately 30 feet to the ground despite proper safety precautions. The fall occurred due to a failure in his personal protective equipment, according to the webpage.

Hanson was then transported to M Health Fairview Medical Center’s Trauma Center in Princeton, where he was evaluated for injuries.

According to the GoFundMe page, Hanson suffered from several fractures to his ribs and vertebrae along with the severing of his spinal cord.

Hanson underwent a surgery to place a metal plate in his back along with the fusing together of his vertebrae. However, despite the best efforts of the medical professionals, Hanson’s spine could not be repaired, and he received the news that he would be paralyzed from the waist down.

“This injury will be extremely hard on (Hanson) and prevent him from doing many things he loves,” the GoFundMe page states. “(Hanson) enjoys summers at the lake, winters on the lake and spending time with extended family. From his tree and landscaping work to hunting and fishing with his family, there is no shortage of time spent outside.”

Since his injury, Hanson’s family has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for Hanson and his family to cover his medical costs, lost wages due to his time away from work, and to support his family.

Hanson has been married to his wife, Cassondra, for nearly 20 years, and the couple have four children, ages 19, 14, 9, and 8.

As of 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, the online fundraiser has raised more than $47,000 with 456 donations for Hanson and his family. The family is already nearing the total goal of $50,000.

“There are no words for the love we are receiving during this difficult time,” Hanson’s family wrote in an update on the GoFundMe page on Aug. 10. “Saying thank you doesn’t even touch on how much this means to all of us. But please know, from the deepest of our hearts, THANK YOU to each and every one of you.”

To learn more about Hanson’s story or to donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/Support-Michael-Hanson.