Charles St. Pierre severely injured working at Whiteface Mt.

by Dan McClelland

A Tupper Lake man had a near brush with death on December 2 while working as a snow-making operator at the state's Whiteface Mountain at Wilmington.

Charles “Chuck” St. Pierre was slammed in the face between his upper lip and his nose by a compressor hose that had somehow come lose from a snowmaking machine he was attending.

The metal nozzle on the hose which was under 200 pounds per square inch of pressure shattered many of the bones in his face and severely lacerated it. His jaw may have also been detached by the blow.

His sister Christin Hunter, who organized an online fundraising page with another sister Rashelle St. Pierre, last week wrote “on the morning of December 2 my brother nearly lost his life performing his job due to a faulty snow machine.”

She wrote “a rogue compressor hose came spiraling off the machine and made direct contact with his face at 200 psi.”

“When discovered by a co-worker he was taken back to the base of the mountain where he was airlifted to Fletcher Allen Trauma Center in Vermont for immediate surgery. Although very groggy, Chuck apparently never lost consciousness.

“The team at Whiteface did a fantastic job insuring Chuck had prompt medical attention,” said Christin.

She said the initial emergency surgery was eventually able to stop the facial bleeding which was difficult at first. His upper lip was detached by the blow and his palate was completely shattered. Many facial bones were believed to have been broken and there was extensive damage to his airways and jaw.

The surgeons at Fletcher Allen “are working to develop a long-term plan of attack” for his facial reconstruction, wrote Christin last week. They had to wait several days for the swelling to go down and for the antibiotics to take effect.

The first surgery was a grueling 12- to 13 -hour procedure Friday to reconnect with wire the three sections of his palate that had separated in the accident. To do that most of Chuck's face had to be lifted, family members said this week.

Before the surgery last week the sections of palate, to which the upper teeth are attached, floated freely.

The first reconstruction surgery was very successful, according to reports.

Rashelle St. Pierre wrote on the online page Sunday that her brother's surgery went very well. “The group of surgeons did an amazing job to say the least. Chuck still remains in high spirits although he's anxious to get out of the hospital.

There was initial concern about his eye socket and possible optic nerve damage but no damage was found apparently in Friday's procedure.

Further surgeries may be planned.

Chuck has had an amazing attitude from the start, despite the severity of his injuries, family members indicated this week.

“My brother is the most strong-willed person I've ever known,” Christin noted.

Chuck is a U.S. Marine veteran, who served in Afghanistan.

“He's a true Jarhead through and through. The doctors are surprised that he survived. They don't understand how he survived, let alone not lose consciousness” when he was struck.

There was speculation this week that Chuck may have had the presence of mind to shut off the machine after it struck him.

Christin said he has a long road ahead but is expected to make a full recovery.

Chuck, who rents an apartment on High Street and who commutes daily to his 6a.m. to 6p.m. shift at the Olympic mountain, has told the Free Press many times in recent months that he loves his job at Whiteface. He's also a certified snowboard instructor there and he particularly likes those assignments.

Christin said he does love his job there and he harbors no ill feelings about the accident.

The sisters were raising the money to help cover immediate living and travel expenses like the cost of transporting Chuck and his family members back and forth to Vermont for visits and follow-up treatments. As of Monday the goal of $5,000 was exceeded by $395.

Chuck is expected to be staying with his grandmother Rita on McLaughlin Ave. as he recovers in the weeks ahead.

Chuck is the son of Bruce St. Pierre who recently moved back to his hometown from Plattsburgh and his mother is the former Elise Miller, also a native of this village.

His uncle, Pierre St. Pierre, who visited him in Vermont last week, said it's incredible how upbeat and positive Chuck has remained during the entire ordeal. “He's already talking about getting back to work!”

Channel 5 news carried a segment on Chuck's accident Wednesday which showed a very injured but very energized Chuck in the Burlington hospital.

Family members say he has been buoyed by all the support he's received from family members and friends.