It was just like any other normal sunny day in Arizona when friends, 11-year-old Gavin Reynolds and 11-year-old Rhode Hill, were playing on Reynolds’ trampoline in his backyard.
However, as surveillance footage revealed, Reynolds and Hill had no idea that a freak gust of wind was about to throw them and the trampoline over a brick wall and onto the concrete on the other side.
Watch the footage below:
The 11-year-olds both suffered injuries as a result of the accident. Thankfully, Reynolds was able to get to his feet despite the pain he was in and find his dad for help, as Hill laid on the ground with a broken pelvis and elbow.
Reynolds told Inside Edition that it felt as though the events that transpired that day happened “in the blink of an eye”:
“It was actually pretty crazy because it started lifting up and then it lifted over the wall. It really just happened in the blink of an eye, you know. […] My injuries were equivalent to getting hit by a car.”
Both of the boys have been recovering ever since. Hill is due to get his cast off soon.
Reynolds’ dad Ryan said he’s grateful for the boys’ recovery:
“You can imagine a little kid if he would have landed on his head, or something like that he could have been dead. So very grateful he’s okay now. […] Gavin’s a brave kid, he said, ‘Yeah, I’m definitely getting back on the trampoline. This isn’t going to stop me at all.’”
Now both Ryan and Gavin are sharing their story to warn others of the non-obvious dangers of trampolines. They want other people to learn from their mistakes and “tie the trampoline down.”
According to Nationwide, here are a few other things trampoline owners should have for maximum safety:
- Purchase a round trampoline (rectangular trampolines provide a dangerously high bounce)
- Enclose trampolines with high trampoline safety nets around the perimeter
- Do not use the trampoline without shock-absorbing trampoline safety pads that completely cover its springs, hooks, and frame
- Place the trampoline away from other play areas, buildings, and trees
- Use soft materials like sand or wood chips to provide a softer surface around and underneath the trampoline
- Carefully review the safety materials included with your trampoline purchase
Nationwide also reports that “about 246,875 medically-treated trampoline injuries occur annually in the United States” and the majority of those injuries occur in kids 14 years old or younger.