WEST JORDAN, Utah — Search and rescue teams across the state are reminding Utahns to be careful with winter activities. The weekend was full of crews responding to emergency hiking, skiing, and snow tubing incidents.
A West Jordan mom will be in the hospital these next few weeks after her face was struck by a snowmobile while she was tubing in Cache County on Saturday.
“They started going down and going down and then the snowmobile guy kept driving over,” said her fiancé, Michael Tietz. “He was still driving when she hit the front of the snowmobile. Her whole face and everything hit the front of it.”
The Cache County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team said the group was tubing down a hill near Peter Sinks in Logan Canyon. The group had their tubes tied together in a “train.”
Deputies said the snowmobile slowed down when the collision occurred around 3:15 p.m.
“Her laying there, her face ripped open and blood everywhere — I didn’t think she was going to make it, I really didn’t,” Tietz said.
Tietz found a group of Good Samaritans with first aid experience to help 34-year-old Samantha Bergman until responders arrived. A medical helicopter flew her to the University of Utah Hospital’s trauma center.
Bergman’s 13-year-old son and 3-year-old twin daughters were also there.
“They’re asking, ‘Where’s mommy? Mommy’s head was bleeding. Mommy got a boo-boo. Mommy die, why Mommy die?’” said Tietz.
Bergman has multiple facial fractures and lacerations. She also broke her wrists and her back in three spots. Tietz said she is responsive and has no brain injury.
“It just felt good: me talking to her, her nodding,” he explained.
The couple hoped to get married next year, but Tietz thinks they’ll have to wait so they can focus on her recovery.
“When they see mom it’s going to be amazing, I can’t wait to see her home and not in the hospital,” he said.
The family created a GoFundMe to raise money for medical expenses. To donate, click here.
Tietz also wants to find and thank the Good Samaritans who stepped in to help. If you know who they are, you can contact the family through the GoFundMe.
