Trauma Patient Gets Second Lease on Life

It's a miraculous job our trauma surgeons do every day, without giving much thought to it; saving lives. In this case, trauma surgeon Marc Matthews, M.D. was called to the emergency department when a trauma victim came in. The triathlete was out riding his bicycle when he was hit by a truck from behind. He was rushed to Maricopa Medical Center and that's where he met Dr. Matthews.

Reg Batt had a mass of broken bones and damaged organs. Just like any other day, Dr. Matthews worked his magic and stabilized the patient. That was in September 2003. Several surgeries and procedures later, Batt ventured out to his (new) bicycle and took the wheels for a spin. Eventually, he worked his way back to swimming. And then came the running. Batt entered a valley triathlon in March of 2005 and finished the race! I knew I could handle the bike and the swim but I was a little worried about the run, Batt explains. I probably didn't look good, but I finished!

Batt has come to Maricopa Medical Center on two previous occasions to try and meet Dr. Matthews and thank him for saving his life. Both times, Dr. Matthews was either off site or in surgery.

On Friday April 15th, Batt got his chance to meet his savior face to face. Batt presented Dr. Matthews with his medal from the March triathalon along with a heartfelt letter to thank him for his work. MMC trauma staff was on hand to witness the medal presentation and say those kinds of events are what make their job worthwhile!

Last updated on October 7, 2008