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Fort Wayne man survives 6-story fall from tree

 FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – A Fort Wayne man is lucky to be alive after falling 60 feet to the ground from a tree. 27-year-old Philip Fetters was trying to cut down that tree on August 17 when a branch he was leaning on broke.

“I got up in the tree and was getting ready to rig the rope to the top and make my first cut,” said Fetters. “Then I fell 60 feet to the ground.”

Fetters said he was doing a favor for a friend who asked him to cut down a dead tree in the backyard. Since he had done tree work in the past, Fetters was up for the challenge. His friend, who was fascinated by Fetter’s climb to the top of the tree, pulled out a cell phone and started recording. The traumatic moment was all caught on video.

“He was like ‘this is crazy, this is so cool,’” said Fetters. “Next thing I know, the branch snapped and I saw the ground coming. It felt like I was falling in slow motion.”

Fetter’s friend, who was panicked, rushed to his side. He yelled at neighbors nearby to call an ambulance. Neither Fetters nor his friend could have imagined capturing this near-death experience.

“I hit a branch on the way down and it snapped my femur and ultimately saved my life,” he said. “It slowed me down enough that when I hit on impact I didn’t die.”

The fall shattered his right femur and caused him to break his left arm, pelvis, and several ribs. He spent ten days in the hospital and for the next few months he’ll be bedridden.

Fetters said that’s okay because he knows the outcome could have been much worse. He said t’s only by the grace of God that he survived that 6-story fall.

“I’m blessed to be alive,” he said. “There’s no reason I should have survived that fall but I’m blessed to be on this earth.”

Fetters said he is ready to get back to work but he know he’s got a long way to go.

“It hit me pretty hard,” he said. “I’ve always been an independent person. So to know that I’m going to be stuck in a bed for six months waiting is driving me insane. “

Doctors told him it will likely take him 4-6 months before he can start learning to walk again. Fetters’ family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses.

WARNING: This video contains adult language.