Indiana teen makes it back on the court after devastating accident
COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. (BVM) – Mason Baker is a varsity basketball player at Columbia City High School. Watching him play now, you would never believe that he was in a devastating accident just years ago.
In Oct. 2017, Baker was enjoying an ATV ride with some friends. However, things would soon take a dramatic turn for the worse as the high schooler would drift and fall 15-feet into a ravine. At first, Baker tried to stand up and thought he might have just knocked the wind out of himself. However, it would end up being much worse.
His friend’s mom was first on the scene, going down into the ravine to help stabilize Baker’s neck. Eventually his own mom would arrive at the scene as would an ambulance. Baker was placed on a board and hoisted out of the ditch where he was then rushed to the emergency room.
He suffered a broken left wrist and broken right scapula in addition to a punctured lung. The most severe injury, however, would be to his back, as Baker broke multiple thoracic vertebrae which line the spinal column.
After the accident, Baker knew his back was in bad shape. But the severity, as well as the other injuries, were a surprise.
“I knew that my back was pretty messed up, but I didn’t know about my other injuries. I just figured it was my back and that was it,” Baker said.
The back injury was severe, but it could have been even worse, as doctors claim he was just a millimeter away from becoming paralyzed.
“When they told me I was a millimeter away from being paralyzed it really shocked me. I mean a millimeter is like a piece of paper,” Baker said.
2 years ago today. I couldn’t be more blessed with how things have turned out, God is great! pic.twitter.com/2OKODEX3J4
— Mason Baker (@MasonBake2) October 19, 2019
A football and basketball player growing up, Baker was passionate for both sports. He began playing basketball competitively around third grade, and grew a love for the sport watching the Columbia City boys team play, aspiring to do the same someday.
However, the injury would threaten to derail that. Doctors ruled out ever playing football again, a tough reality for the now 17-year-old.
“I was kind of upset, but I wasn’t totally sure at the time if I was going to play in high school anyways. I guess now is tougher for me than what it was when he told me because now if I want to play again I can’t,” Baker said.
But doctors also gave the injured athlete hope when revealing there was a chance he could eventually return to the basketball court. After hearing that, Baker was determined to make it happen.
“I was pretty excited,” he said about hearing that news. “It gave me a lot of motivation to be able to play again. That gave me some light and I just took it and ran with it.”
Baker credits everyone who visited him at the hospital for helping to motivate him to get back on the hardwood. One of the first people in the emergency room the night of the accident was former Columbia City basketball coach, Brett Eberly, which was very meaningful to the sophomore.
“Coach Eberly was the first one to the hospital and showed up multiple times. He told me I would be fine and brought a jersey to me and said there would still be a place for me no matter what happens,” Baker said.
After a lengthy multi-hour surgery, Baker would continue to progress each day. A couple months after the accident in December, the high schooler began outpatient therapy where he was able to do some biking and climbing stairs. Months later, he was cleared for supervised instruction with Optimum Performance Sports (OPS), a local training and rehabilitation facility.
Doctors had initially said it would be at least 12 months until Baker saw himself on the basketball court again. With help at OPS, specifically from Dr. Jason Russell, that timeline would be shattered. Baker began doing some running and jumping to feel stronger each day. By June 2018, he had already reached his goal, and was back out on the court just eight months after the accident.
The high schooler was not at a level to fully play yet, but just stepping foot back on the hardwood was already an accomplishment. By fall, Baker became a starter for the Columbia City junior varsity squad.
Although he had goals of making varsity as a freshman, Baker was better suited for JV since he was still not back to full strength.
“I wasn’t back to my full potential, so it was good for me to play on JV. I would get pushed down a lot or my running was off or my balance wasn’t there so it was a good thing for me to develop,” the 17-year-old said.
Baker believes he finally turned the corner in April 2019, and began feeling like his old self while playing basketball. The confidence would continue to grow over the summer, and by fall, the 6-foot-2 guard was named a varsity starter for the Eagles.
“It was pretty exciting,” Baker said when finding out he was on the varsity team. “Just to know that all the work I put in had paid off finally was fulfilling for me after everything that happened. It meant a lot.”
The Eagles had a near .500 season and faced some adversity throughout the year, but that didn’t slow down Baker, who contributed solidly for the team. He even had a 21-point effort over the winter where he shot five of seven from three-point range.
That kind of effort answered any questions about Baker being fully back, and his comeback is truly an incredible feat.
“I was pretty impressed. It was shocking because I thought it was going to take a lot longer to rehab than it did. I told myself six months, but that was a far-reached goal. When it happened though I realized when you put your mind to something you can do it,” Baker said.
A comeback like this doesn’t happen without an abundance of support, and in addition to coach Eberly, Baker credits numerous other coaches and teammates for helping him back. He also praises some of the amazing doctors and specialists he had that helped him rehab.
“I couldn’t have done it without them. They motivated me and helped me and answered my questions. Everyone has done so much for me and it just means a ton,” he said.
Baker says he has no fears of hopping back on an ATV again, but for now remains focused on basketball. The 17-year-old isn’t sure where he will go to college yet, but hopes to continue with basketball wherever he attends. He plans to study sports management as well.
The Eagles guard has made it all the way back, but it wasn’t easy. Knowing plenty of athletes are faced with similar challenges, Baker offers these words.
“Embrace the journey. Take rehab serious everyday and take in the love everybody gives you. Find ways to motivate yourself, because that was the biggest thing for me. You don’t want to go to rehab everyday, but in the long run it will pay off.”
The Columbia City guard has begun a remarkable comeback story that many can learn from. It is far from over though, and will only keep getting better as his career on the court continues.
