What started out as a quiet Saturday afternoon at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre, SD, quickly changed after a late-March snowstorm caused a terrifying bus crash.
The wheels of the bus had been sucked into slush on the shoulder of Interstate 90, causing it to roll onto its side into a ditch. With nearly a dozen injured passengers, Avera St. Mary’s initiated a mass casualty protocol and prepared to treat them urgently.
“It brings in every available nurse, doctor, every staff we can get,” said Avera St. Mary’s emergency physician Titus Weller, MD.
Among the many caregivers and staff who responded that day were Eldon Becker, MD, the hospital’s Trauma Director, and his son Brandt Becker, MD. The duo has been working together for 12 years — proudly serving alongside a team that feels like extended family.
“There wasn’t a specialty that we have here that wasn’t caring for patients that day,” said Eldon.
Thanks to the swift action of everyone on the team — and our donors' ongoing investments in exceptional local care — all patients are now on the path to recovery, grateful that Avera's team stood ready when every moment mattered.